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The Vatican Gardens date back to
medieval times when vineyards and
orchards extended to the north of the
Apostolic Palace. In the 1279 Pope
Nicholas II enclosed this cultivated
area with walls. Today these walls are
no longer standings owing to the site's
transformation at the beginning of the
16th century. Two new courtyards were
created: the Belvedere and the "Pigna"
or Pine Cone.
Nicholas
V (1447 - 55) conceived a series of
gardens which could be used in
ceremonies of the papal court as well as
for the pope's personal enjoyment in the
area now occupied by the Courtyard of
St. Damasus and by the late 16th-century
building which is presently the pope's
private residence.
In the area of greenery which remained
after the construction of the Belvedere
corridors (now the Apostolic Library and
the Vatican Museums, Pius IV (1559 - 65)
had Pirro Ligorio construct the lovely
Villa Pia or "Casina", intended for his
moments of leisure and rest, which is
now the seat of the Pontifical Academy
of Sciences; later, Paul V (1605 - 21)
adorned it with splendid fountains.
Today the
Vatican Gardens are divided into two
areas (as can easily be seen from the
top of the dome of St. Peter's) by the
remains of the medieval walls which
encircled the Vatican before the
construction of the surviving
16th-century ramparts. On one side, in a
north-north-west direction, is the park
of the Villa Pia and the wood above it;
on the other side, behind the apse of
the Basilica, is the area that was set
aside for agricultural cultivation until
the foundation of the Vatican City State
(1929) and later left green, although
today much of it is built up owing to
the requirements of this extremely small
state.
After the
Lateran Treaty, 11 February 1929, behind
the sacristy and the Basilica, Piazza
Santa Marta was laid out, and the Mosaic
Studio , the Railway Station ,
The
Government Palace, the Ethiopian College
and the Marconi Broadcasting Centre were
built. Along the medieval walls, at the
level of the circular tower, Pope Leo
XIII had a new "retreat" constructed,
the building now occupied by the
administrative offices of the Vatican
Radio.
On the wall to the left, The St. John
Tower, rebuilt by Giovanni XXIII, is
reserved for illustrious guest.
To receive additional information on the
Vatican Gardens or to book a tour please
contact
our concierge:
Valentina |
