Description of the attraction
The Vatican Palaces form one of the most magnificent monumental architectural complexes in the world. Their construction began in the 14th century with the aim of creating a papal residence worthy of their high status. The original residence of the popes was in Lateran, then it was transferred to Avignon. Gregory XI was the first pope to settle in the Vatican; his successors continued to expand and improve the palace complex. Thus, during the reign of Pope Alexander V in 1410, a "corridor" was built that connected the palace with the castle of Sant'Angelo.
But the greatest contribution to the construction and formation of the complex of luxurious palaces was made by Pope Nicholas V. The heart of the complex is undoubtedly the square building surrounding the Pappagallo (Parrot) Courtyard, which was created by such famous architects as Leon Battista Alberti and Bernardo Rossellino. The Niccolina Chapel, dedicated to St. Stephen and St. Lorenzo, is decorated with frescoes by Fra Angelico.
The world famous Sistine Chapel was created in the years 1473-1480 under Pope Sixtus IV. Its author was the architect Giovanni de Dolci, who used the former Palatine Chapel for this purpose. Pope Innocent VIII ordered to build a small palace for himself - Palazzetto, on the highest point of the Belvedere gardens. The palace became famous for the paintings of Andrea Mantegna, which were lost during the redevelopment of the palace undertaken by the architect Bramante, and later during the construction of the Pio Clementino Museum during the reign of Pope Pius VI.
When Pope Alexander VI settled in the palace of Nicholas V, work began again on expanding the papal court, which culminated in the construction of the Borgia tower, named after the family to which the pope belonged. But the most significant changes took place simultaneously with the large-scale urban planning work undertaken by the patron of the Pope Julius II, who entrusted Bramante with the implementation of the project to connect the palaces of Nicholas V and Innocent VII. As a result of this project, the Belvedere Courtyard was created, the perspective of which is closed by the niche of Pirro Ligorio (1560), which replaced the exedra with two stairs, made by Bramante.
He also owns the project of the Loggias of the Courtyard of San Damaso, which were completed and decorated with frescoes by Raphael. Thanks to these transformations, the façade of the papal palace now overlooks St. Peter's Square. Also during the reign of Pope Julius II, between 1509-1512, Michelangelo executed the frescoes of the vault of the Sistine Chapel, and Raphael began painting the Stanzas (ceremonial rooms) in 1508, completing this work in 1524.
After the brutal sacking of Rome, which to some extent suspended the implementation of Julius II's grandiose project to reconstruct the city, work in the Vatican Palaces was resumed under Pope Paul III, who commissioned the architect Antonio da Sangallo the Younger to build the Paolina Chapel, Ducale Hall and Regja Hall. Michelangelo, having received an order to paint the Paolina Chapel, continued to work on the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel.
The heyday of the Baroque coincided with the reign of Pope Sixtus V and is associated with the architect Domenico Fontana, according to whose design the modern residence of the Pope was built, and the Belvedere was "cut" by the Cross Courtyard (now the site of the Sistine Hall of the Library). In the 17th century, under Pope Urban VIII, according to Bernini's design, construction began on the famous Regia Staircase (Rock of Regia), as well as the Paolina Rooms in the Library and Archives.
In the next century, great transformations were made to create the Vatican Museums. This is how the Museum of Ecclesiastical Art (Museo Sacro) and the Museum of Secular Art (Museo Profano), adjacent to the Library, arose; The Pio Clementino Museum, designed by Michelangelo Simonetti and Giuseppe Camporese (1771-1793); Chiaramonti Museum associated with the name of Antonio Canova (1806-1810); new building - Braccio Nuovo, designed by Raphael Stern under Pope Pius VII.
In the twentieth century, at the initiative of Pope Pius XII, archaeological research was carried out under the Cathedral of St. Peter, and under Pope John XXIII construction of new halls began to house the collection of the Lateran Palace Museum.
