Where do Popes live? A look inside the home of the Pope

Do you know who the Pope is? 

Globally, everyone is familiar with the figure of the Pope, the Bishop of Rome and the highest authority in the Catholic Church.

However, the Pope has always been a figure shrouded with mystery and who recalls a lot of intrigue. With one of the highest statuses and responsibilities to have, we wonder if the Pope follows normal, everyday routines (somewhat) like the rest of us. 

One of the questions that may sprout in your mind about the pope is:

The Pontiff, in fact, lives in Vatican City, of which he is also the sovereign, a small city-state located in the heart of Rome. Formally, therefore, the Pope does not live in Italy.

Throughout history, the popes have inhabited different residences. The list includes:

Still accessible to the public and in fact, a very important pilgrimage site, the Lateran palace is located on Piazza di San Giovanni in Rome. It was the papal residence from the time of Pope Sylvester I from the early 4th century, till Benedict XI in 1304. Within the complex, tourists can visit the basilica, the Lateran Baptistery and the Scala Sancta (Holy Stairs).

This palace was home to the popes starting with Pope Alexander IV in 1257 to Martin IV in 1281. Although the palace is not open to the public, its medieval architecture can still be admired while exploring the charming, historic city of Viterbo.

One of the pope’s residences is a UNESCO World Heritage site! The Palais de Papes in Avignon, a commune in the southeast of France, is one of the largest medieval Gothic structures found in Europe. We can imagine that it would make an extremely popular tourist destination. Visitors can weave in and out of the chambers and chapels of this palace. It served as a residence for the popes from Clement V in 1309, till Gregory XI in 1377 during the Avignon papacy. This burdening problems of factionalism in Rome during this period caused this temporary move of the papal capital to Avignon.

Located on Quirinal hill, which is one of the seven hills that make up Rome, this palace served as a home for the popes starting with Urban VIII in 1605 till Pius IX in 1870, excluding some periods in between. This palace now serves as the home of the President of the Italian Republic, making it closed to tourists. Sometimes the exterior gardens of the palace may be accessed for certain events.

 

Since 1870, the papal residence has been transferred to the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City.  This is where the popes have lived from Pius IX to Benedict XVI. Following Benedict XVI, Pope Francis chose to live outside of the Apostolic Palace due to his desire to lead a regular life, one that consists of humility and relating to the common man. 

Unlike Pope Francis, Pope Leo has chosen to live within the palace, but not in the traditional quarters we have seen with past popes. Pope Leo will be living with flatmates as a way to be amongst people avoiding isolation, similar to Pope Francis. 

The building plans for the Apostolic Palace began in 1471 and were fully realised by 1605. Although most parts of the papal palace are closed to the public, there are some sections that are open to visit. This building is where the Sistine Chapel, Clementine Hall, the Borgia Apartments and the Raphael rooms are situated.

Therefore, the Apostolic Palace can be visited through the same ticket that gives you entrance to the entirety of the museums!

It is important to clarify that in the past, the term Apostolic Palaces referred to various locations in the city of Rome, while today it is used exclusively to refer to the Vatican Palaces, an important example of local architecture.

Well, our current Pope must live in the Apostolic Palace as well, right? 

Pope Leo has chosen to live in the Papal Apartments, located on the third floor of the Papal Palace. This arrangement differs from his predecessors as he has requested to have 4 flatmates alongside him. One including his Peruvian personal security,  Father Edgard Rimaycuna, and three others from the Augustinian order. 

The Augustine order highlights communal living and this choice reflects his commitment to its ethos.   

The Papal Apartment has undergone a major renovation as it has not been used by anyone in years, and additionally has faced water and humidity damage as a result. 

Does the Pope go on vacation?

Over the centuries, popes have spent part of the summer season in a location different from the apostolic palaces.

The Pope summer residence was the Quirinal Palace, Rome, from 1583 to 1870, alternating with the Pontifical Palace. Castel Gandolfo became a stable summer choice in the twentieth century. Pope Leo has enjoyed using the summer residence Castel Gandolfo this past summer, and chose to stay in Villa Barberini instead of the Polistic Palace which has been turned into a museum open to the public. Many tourists continue to be attracted by the Polistic Palace, primarily due to seeing where many former popes have vacationed, but also because of its outstanding beauty. 

Walks Inside Rome actually runs a cooking school within the residence! We offer a day trip to Castel Gandolfo complete with a delightful cooking experience that makes use of farm-to-table produce grown in the pope’s gardens!