- Address: 00120, Vatican City
- Phone: +39 06 6988 3860
- Destination: Palazzo
Belvedere Palace in the Vatican is part of the architectural complex of the Vatican Palaces , a monument of the era of the High Renaissance. The attraction includes the building itself, called the belvedere, the front yard and gardens.
An important part of the palace complex
The Italian word "belvedere" literally means "a beautiful view". So called the buildings that were erected specifically for enjoying the beautiful view of the district. Usually these are turrets, palaces or just buildings at the end of a garden or park.
It was for this purpose that the Belvedere Palace was built, originally a villa. As expected, the building stood separately on the hill to fulfill its function: to open a beautiful view of Rome, the fields and the peaks of the mountains behind it. Now it is the most famous building, a belvedere, since it is part of the Vatican complex.
It is for sure not known when they started to build it. The temporary place of residence of the Popes, as it was at first, was rebuilt many times, grew and eventually shows all the splendor of the external appearance and interior decoration of the permanent residence of the Pope.
Vatican palaces - an architectural ensemble, which includes buildings of different centuries, genre and design, among which the Belvedere Palace in the Vatican. It was erected in the 16th century. architect Bramante under the reign of Pope Innocent VIII. The famous architect was entrusted with the reconstruction of the Vatican, including the site between the then Belvedere and the palace.
Later, Pope Julius II ordered to connect the Belvedere with the Vatican two galleries. Also these two monuments of architecture are connected by a garden space, which ends with a courtyard of a pine cone in front of the Belvedere Palace niche. Thus, the composition of the building consists of two wings, arranged in parallel. These two wings were connected by two palaces of popes Nicholas V and Innocent VIII. Between them a courtyard is formed, ending with the ceremonial niche of the architect Ligorio.
The Bramante project was grandiose, but not fully implemented. The buildings of the following years have even more modified the original design. However, in the modern form the building strikes with the grandeur of the idea of an architectural ensemble, where the landscape and a number of buildings are harmoniously combined into a single composition.
It is impossible to forget the niche of the Belvedere, a semicircle with a half-dome three stories high, which creates the effect of simultaneous presence inside and outside the building.
Excursion around the palace
Belvedere as a genre of architecture assumed a delicate interior design. As a rule, it had round halls, columns, arches. The Belvedere Palace was also an exception: it is filled with staircases of different heights, arches, air passages, columns and, of course, priceless masterpieces, because today it is occupied by the Pius-Clement Museum , which was opened on behalf of two popes, Clement XIV and Pius VI end of the 18th century). The museum was created to store ancient Greek and Roman works of art.
Once in the building, tourists pass two vestibules. One of them has a quadrangular shape. It houses the famous torso of Hercules. The second lobby is round, with a breathtaking view of Rome.
Near the second lobby is the hall of Meleager, known for its statue of a hunter. If you walk through the round entrance hall, guests enter the inner courtyard. It is 8-coal form, bordered by a portico, which is built on 16 columns of granite. Under the portico are exhibited antique masterpieces: bas-reliefs and sarcophagi, fonts and altars. There are also statues of Perseus Canova, Apollo and Hermes Belvedere, Laocoon with sons.
Through the courtyard, the path leads to the Statues gallery. Here are the masterpieces of the sculpture: Cupid Praxitel, Apollo of the Savrikton, Sleeping Ariadne. Then you can go to the Beast Hall, where a collection of animal sculptures is on display. Further the path leads to the Muz hall - one of the most beautiful in the palace. In form it is an 8-gon, there are 16 marble columns with antique statues of all the Muses and Apollo of Massaget.
This hall leads to the next round one; it is notable for a dome on 10 columns of marble. The floor here is lined with a mosaic of ancient times. There is a unique masterpiece: the porphyry red pool, as well as the famous statues of Hercules, Antinous, Juno, Ceres and other gods and heroes. There is also the Hall of the Greek Cross, received its name due to the form (south of the round hall). Here you can see the sarcophagi from the red porphyry of St. Constance and Elena. There are a lot of halls in the palace, and all of them are filled with masterpieces of art from different eras and countries.
Completes the examination of the exit to the inner staircase, decorated with 30 columns of granite red and 2 of porphyry black. The staircase was built by Simoneti. On it you can go to the Egyptian Museum (9 rooms), which is also founded by Pope Pius VI. On the second floor, climbing the stairs, visitors will find the Etruscan Museum (13 rooms with works of art from ancient Italy) and the Kandelabr Gallery. As a result, the staircase will lead to the Garden of Pinea - a garden space that separates the palace from other masterpieces of Vatican architecture. Behind it stands the unforgettable niche of Belvedere, the visiting card of the palace.
Of course, such a list of attractions looks very dry and does not convey the full power and beauty of each of the masterpieces, they all deserve a separate conversation.
The Belvedere Palace in the Vatican, like the whole complex of palaces, is now recognized as the most significant architectural complex for mankind. For the first time tourists would visit the Vatican, the treasures of the exposition, like the emotions of rapture and reverence, prove inexhaustible.
How to get to the sights?
You will not be able to get to the Vatican , as there is no airport here. Therefore, first you need to come to Rome, in the center of which is the Vatican. From Rome you can get by rail, the station of which is in the Vatican. Find the Belvedere Palace is very simple, since all the streets lead to the Apostolic Palace , and this is a single complex.
Belvedere belongs to the Vatican Museums. The cost of visits to all museums is the same - 16 euros. There is a discount for pensioners and students. The schedule of museums varies according to the month.
From March to October: Monday to Friday from 8.45 to 16.45, Saturday - to 13.45. From November to February, working hours are less, and all the days from Monday to Saturday the museum closes at 13.45.
The Vatican is always very crowded. But tickets can be booked online in advance and thus avoid queues. Tourists should take into account that in summer it is necessary to avoid unnecessarily open clothes when visiting the Belvedere Palace and the Vatican as a whole.
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