The majestic structure that rises on the right above the colonnade of St. Peter`s Square is the Apostolic Palace (Palazzo Apostolico), also known as the Papal Palace or the Vatican Palace. It is not merely a historic building, but the active official residence of the Pope of Rome and at the same time the administrative center of the Holy See, where the most important institutions of the Catholic Church are located.
It is here, in one of the windows on the third floor, that the Pope appears every Sunday to recite the prayer "Angelus" before the faithful filling the square. However, the building that tourists see to the right of the colonnade is only part of a vast complex that was formed over centuries.
The Apostolic (Papal) Palace is not a single building constructed according to one design, but an entire architectural ensemble that took shape over centuries, beginning in the 12th century. Today it includes not only the papal apartments, but also the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Library, the Raphael Rooms, as well as numerous reception halls and administrative premises.
History and Formation of the Apostolic Palace
The history of the papal residence on the Vatican Hill goes back to the first centuries of Christianity. As early as around the year 500, Pope Symmachus harbored plans to move the curia from the Lateran closer to the tomb of the Apostle Peter. However, the real development of the Vatican began only at the end of the 12th century under Pope Innocent III, who in 1208 began the construction of the palace. It was then that the "core" of the future complex was laid around the courtyard that is today called the "Courtyard of the Parrots."
In the following centuries, almost every pope contributed to the expansion and rebuilding of the palace. Particularly significant works were carried out in the 15th–16th centuries: Pope Nicholas V developed a monumental plan for the renewal of the Vatican, Sixtus IV built the Sistine Chapel, Alexander VI Borgia created the famous "Borgia Apartments" and built a secret passage to Castel Sant`Angelo. Julius II engaged Bramante for the work, and Leo X commissioned Raphael to paint the loggias.
The present appearance of the papal apartments was finally formed only at the beginning of the 20th century, under Pope Pius X (1903–1914). He was the first to move into those very rooms on the third floor (the Third Loggia) that the popes occupy today. From that moment, the Apostolic Palace became the permanent residence of the pontiffs.
Layout and Interiors of the Apostolic Palace
The papal apartments occupy about ten rooms on the third and fourth floors of the Apostolic Palace. Their layout reflects both the function of a private residence and that of an official representation. Entry to the apartments is through the ceremonial staircase (Scala Regia), created by Bernini, and today an elevator also operates.
The typical layout of the papal residence includes an entrance hall, where visitors are greeted by the papal secretaries, a private library, in which the pope usually receives guests in the morning, a small drawing room and the secretaries` office, the pope`s private study — the very window from which he appears for the Angelus, a bedroom located in the corner with a view of both the square and the center of Rome, a small private chapel facing the inner courtyard, as well as a dining room, kitchen, and servants` quarters.
The interiors of the apartments are a combination of historical value and modern comfort. After the election of Leo XIV in 2025, renovation work was carried out in the premises, including updating the internet connection and security systems. However, according to accounts, the interior decoration remains rather restrained than luxurious: the popes prefer simplicity corresponding to their spiritual service.
The Pope`s Addresses to the Faithful
The window of the pope`s private study on the third floor of the Apostolic Palace is one of the most recognizable places in the world. Every Sunday at noon, the pope appears here to recite the prayer "Angelus." On especially solemn days — at Christmas and Easter — the pope delivers the blessing "Urbi et Orbi" ("To the City and the World") not from the window of the study, but from the central balcony of St. Peter`s Basilica, which is called the Loggia of the Blessings.
The tradition of addresses from the window of the Apostolic Palace has deep roots. Over the centuries, the popes have used this window to communicate with pilgrims, and it has become a symbol of the pontiff`s accessibility. On Sundays, St. Peter`s Square fills with the faithful, who come to hear the pope`s voice and receive his blessing.
Are Tourists Allowed into the Apostolic Palace?
Tourists are not allowed into the private papal apartments. This is the personal residence of the reigning pontiff, and access there is closed to outsiders. Moreover, when the papal throne is vacant (in the period between the death or resignation of one pope and the election of a new one), the apartments are officially sealed — this tradition is observed even with regard to the rooms that the pope did not occupy.
However, this does not mean that tourists cannot see the Apostolic Palace at all. A significant part of the complex is included in the Vatican Museums and is open for visiting. Tourists can pass through the Sistine Chapel — a masterpiece of the Renaissance with frescoes by Michelangelo ("The Creation of the World" on the ceiling and "The Last Judgment" on the altar wall), as well as through the Raphael Rooms — four halls painted by Raphael and his students, and the galleries and corridors leading to the museums.
In addition, one can see the Scala Regia — Bernini`s ceremonial staircase — from the outside, from the side of the square. At its foot stands the equestrian statue of Emperor Constantine. However, it is not possible to ascend it into the papal chambers.
The Swiss Guard
The Swiss Guards serve precisely here — they guard the entrances to the Apostolic (Papal) Palace and ensure the safety of the pope. The Pontifical Swiss Guard was founded in 1506 by Pope Julius II and is considered the oldest active military formation in the world.
The guards serve at several posts in the Apostolic Palace. Among them are the Bronze Gates (Portone di Bronzo), the main entrance to the palace: every day at 7 a.m. the gates open, and at 8 o`clock an honor guard arrives, which is relieved every two hours. Also, this includes the ceremonial staircase (Scala Nobile), where the guards control access to the pope`s private chambers and the offices of the Secretary of State, the inner courtyard of the palace (Cortile San Damaso), where new guards take their oath every year on 6 May, and the historic hall Sala Regia, where the guards prevent outsiders from the neighboring Vatican Museums from entering.
Today the corps numbers about 135 people. The guards must be Swiss citizens, Catholics, unmarried, aged between 19 and 30, at least 1.74 meters tall, with mandatory military training in Switzerland. Service lasts a minimum of 26 months, a maximum of 25 years.
Their uniform is one of the most recognizable in the world: blue, red, and yellow colors with silver cuirasses, created after the motifs of Renaissance costumes. Although the guards are often perceived as a ceremonial unit, they are a professional military force ensuring the real security of the pope and the Vatican.
Practical Information
• Location: The Papal (Apostolic) Palace is located in the Vatican, to the right of St. Peter`s Square, if you look at the basilica. The nearest entrances for tourists are through the Vatican Museums.
• Access for tourists: the private papal apartments are closed. The Sistine Chapel, the Raphael Rooms, and other parts of the complex included in the Vatican Museums are open.
• Tickets: purchased for the Vatican Museums. Booking in advance is recommended.
• Getting there: metro line A, Ottaviano — San Pietro station.
• Tips: if you want to see the pope, come to St. Peter`s Square on Sunday at noon (Angelus) or on days of special blessings. You can see the window from which he addresses from the square — it is located on the third floor to the right of the basilica, above the colonnade.
The Apostolic Palace is not just the residence of the pope, but the heart of the governance of the Catholic Church and a place where history has been made for centuries. Its walls remember the Borgias and Michelangelo; the Sistine Chapel and the Raphael Rooms were created here. Although the private chambers of the pontiff are closed to tourists, everyone can see a significant part of this great complex by visiting the Vatican Museums. And if you are lucky enough to be in St. Peter`s Square at Sunday noon, you will witness a living tradition that is already many centuries old: the pope appears at the window of the Apostolic Palace and addresses the world.
