This content was automatically translated. View the original text.
The Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo: Where the Popes Went on Holiday
Located in the Alban Hills, 20 kilometres from Rome, the Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo served for four centuries as the popes' summer residence. In 2016, by decision of Pope Francis, it was opened to the public as a museum — a fragment of the Vatican beyond the Vatican walls — with a remarkable addition: the complex stands on the remains of Emperor Domitian's country villa, built here as his rural retreat.
From Feudal Castle to Papal Residence
The palace was designed by architect Carlo Maderno for Pope Urban VIII Barberini, and completed in 1626. It incorporates the old Savelli castle, confiscated by the Apostolic Chamber in the late 16th century as a settlement for unpaid debts. Pope Alexander VII completed the building with a new façade overlooking the square, designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. After 1870, the palace lay abandoned for sixty years. Only with the Lateran Treaty of 1929 did it resume its role as a summer residence.
What to See Today
Inside, highlights include the Chapel of Urban VIII with frescoes by Simone Lagi and the Zuccari brothers, the Bernini Gallery, with frescoes by Pier Leone Ghezzi, and the Throne Room, containing hung tapestries. The private papal apartment is comprised of a study, a bedroom, and a small private chapel housing a copy of the Black Madonna of Częstochowa. In 1934, Pope Pius XI relocated the Vatican Observatory - the Specola Vaticana - to the top floor of the Apostolic Palace. The entire complex extends over 55 hectares of gardens, villas, and Roman remains.
