Palace of Castel Gandolfo explained

Palace of Castel Gandolfo
Native Name:Palazzo Apostolico di Castel Gandolfo
Coordinates:41.7471°N 12.6503°W
Area:135-acre
Governing Body:Holy See
Beginning Label:13th century

The Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo, or the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo from its Italian name Palazzo Apostolico di Castel Gandolfo, is a 135-acre (54.6-ha) complex of buildings in a garden setting in the city of Castel Gandolfo, Italy, including the principal 17th-century villa, an observatory and a farmhouse with 75 acres (30.4 ha) of farmland. The main structure, the Papal Palace, has been a museum since October 2016. It served for centuries as a summer residence and vacation retreat for the pope, the leader of the Catholic Church, and is afforded extraterritorial status as one of the properties of the Holy See. It overlooks Lake Albano.

History

The Vatican acquired the castle in 1596, in payment of a debt owed by the Savelli family. It dated from the 13th century.[1]

The gardens occupy the site of a residence of the Roman Emperor Domitian.[2] The palace was designed by Swiss-Italian architect Carlo Maderno for Pope Urban VIII. Since then, about half of his successors have used the properties as a summer residence and vacation retreat, except for the years between 1870 and 1929 when the popes, in dispute with Italy over territorial claims, did not leave Vatican City.[3] Pope Pius XI had the facilities modernized and began using the retreat again in 1934.[3] In accordance with the Lateran Treaty of 1929, the palace and the adjoining Villa Barberini added to the complex by Pope Pius XI are extraterritorial properties of the Holy See.[3]

During World War II, an unknown number of Jewish refugees took shelter at the palace under the protection of the Holy See and many people used the site as a refuge from Allied bombing raids in 1944, though more than 500 people died in one such attack.[3] Pope Pius XII died at the palace in 1958,[4] as did Pope Paul VI in 1978.[5] Pope John Paul II had a swimming pool built at the palace, which was criticized by some. Paparazzi used the opportunity to take photos of him.[6]

Pope Benedict XVI flew to the palace at the conclusion of his papacy on 28 February 2013,[7] was joined by Pope Francis for lunch on 23 March,[2] and returned to Vatican City on 2 May.[8] Francis visited the property twice more, but has never stayed overnight.[9] In June 2013, Francis announced he would not spend the summer in Castel Gandolfo as many of his predecessors had, but would lead the Angelus there on 14 July.[10] In retirement, Benedict used it at Francis' invitation for a two-week vacation in 2015.[11]

On 7 December 2013, Pope Francis named Osvaldo Gianoli as the Director of the Pontifical Villas of Castel Gandolfo.[12] In March 2014, the Vatican opened the Barberini Gardens to paid visitors on escorted tours during morning hours every day but Sunday.[13] Beginning 11 September 2015, the public was able to travel from Vatican City to Castel Gandolfo by a train that had previously been reserved for use by the pope.[14] Before the end of the year, products from the farm, previously only available to Vatican employees, were made available for purchase by the public.[15]

On 21 October 2016, the palace was opened to the public for viewing without undergoing any structural changes.[16] When asked if the building would again become a papal apartment, Castel Gandolfo mayor Milvia Monachesi said: "the fact that the palace is now a museum will make a reversal in the future difficult".[17]

Legal status

Pursuant to the Lateran Treaty of 1929, the Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo is Italian territory, but owned by the Holy See and equipped with extraterritoriality comparable to that of diplomatic missions. It is exempt from Italian taxes and expropriations, and Italian authorities are prohibited from entering it without the consent of the Holy See.[18]

See also

References

Additional sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: The Telegraph . 23 February 2013 . Nick . Squires. A rare glimpse inside the remote retreat Pope Benedict XVI is soon to call home.
  2. News: Johnson. Alan. Pope Francis visits Benedict XVI at Castel Gandolfo. 3 March 2014. BBC. 23 March 2013.
  3. News: Castel Gandolfo: The Colorful History of the Pope's Summer Home . Spiegel International . 28 February 2013. 3 March 2014. Schlott. René.
  4. News: Cortesi. Arnaldo. Pontiff 19 Years . 3 March 2014. New York Times. 9 October 1958.
  5. News: Tanner. Henry . Election to be Held. 3 March 2014. New York Times. 7 August 1978.
  6. Web site: Castel Gandolfo: The Colorful History of the Pope's Summer Home. Spiegel.de. 19 January 2017.
  7. News: Donadio . Rachel. Discord Remains at Vatican as Pope Benedict Departs. 3 March 2014. New York Times. 28 February 2013.
  8. News: Povoledo. Elisabetta. With Benedict's Return, Vatican Experiment Begins. 3 March 2014. New York Times. 2 May 2013.
  9. News: Business Insider . Inside Pope Francis' summer home, which has just been opened to the public . 9 May 2019 . 28 October 2016 . Edith . Hancock.
  10. News: 9 May 2019 . Cindy. Wooden . Pope Francis decides not to spend summer at Castel Gandolfo. National Catholic Reporter . 6 June 2013 . Catholic News Service . According to Saverio Petrillo, director of the villa, about half the popes since then have followed Pope Urban's lead. Over the centuries, war, political turmoil, illness and just plain not liking the setting accounted for some pontiffs renouncing use of the villa, Petrillo wrote..
  11. News: 9 May 2019 . 30 June 2015 . Francis wishes Benedict XVI a good summer in Castel Gandolfo . Catholic News Agency . Elise . Harris.
  12. Nomina del Direttore delle Ville Pontificie di Castelgandolfo. 3 March 2014. Holy See Press Office. 7 December 2013.
  13. News: Bergoglio opens Castel Gandolfo gardens to the public . 3 March 2014. Vatican Insider. 3 March 2014.
  14. News: Pope Francis gives up papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo . Aleteia . 9 May 2019 . 24 October 2016 . Isabelle . Cousturie.
  15. News: Newsweek . 9 May 2019 . God's Grocer: Pope Francis Has Opened His Farm to Visitors. 16 January 2018 . Silvia . Marchetti.
  16. News: Pope gives up another indulgence: His summer palace . Religion News Service . 21 October 2016 . 19 January 2017.
  17. Web site: Pullella . Philip . Papal summer residence, shunned by Francis, opened to public . . 21 October 2016 . 19 January 2017.
  18. Lateran Treaty, Article 15 and annex II.