Interview with the Director of the Pontifical Villas
The Popes and the Summer Residence at Castel Gandolfo
On the afternoon of Sunday, July 6, Pope Leo XIV arrived at Villa Barberini estate in the town of Castel Gandolfo for a period of rest. The hillside town, built around Lake Albano, has cooler temperatures than Rome, therefore making it a traditional area of respite during the torrid summer months in the city.
Steeped in faith and tradition, the estate is part of the territorial complex known as the Pontifical Villas. In this interview, Andrea Tamburelli, Director of the Pontifical Villas, shares some insights.
From Pope Francis to Pope Leo XIV: How have the Pontifical Villas changed over the years?
Pope Francis visited Castel Gandolfo for the first time on March 23, 2013 a few days after his election on March 13. There he met with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in a historic encounter. Francis returned on July 14, warmly welcomed by the local community, to lead the Angelus prayer. On August 15, following the tradition of Pope John XXIII, he celebrated the Mass of the Assumption in the town square. Although he elected not to use Castel Gandolfo as a summer residence, Pope Francis remained deeply connected to the town and its people.
That said, not all Popes in the past chose to reside in the Pontifical Villas during the summer. Since the late 1500s, when Pope Clement VIII incorporated the original nucleus of the estate into the Church, 33 Popes have succeeded one another, but only 15 of them have actually stayed there.
In October 2016, the Apostolic Palace was opened to the public, following the earlier opening limited to the Gallery of Papal Portraits and the surrounding Barberini Gardens. Since then, access was expanded to the more private areas of the Apostolic Palace, including the papal apartment, until then reserved exclusively for the Pope.
Even while opening the estate to the public, Pope Francis retained the title of “Pontifical Villas,” a designation given by Pope Clement XI in 1710.
A section of the gardens of the Pontifical Villas now hosts the “Laudato Si’” Advanced Training Center, established by Pope Francis through his Chirograph on February 2, 2023.
Pope Leo XIV will reside briefly at Villa Barberini during the summer season, a place rich in history…
For nearly three centuries the Villa Barberini estate was owned by the Barberini family. The original building was constructed by Scipione Visconti in an area known as Mompecchio, with decorations of the Visconti coat of arms still visible today. After Visconti’s death in 1630, the estate was purchased in 1631 by Taddeo Barberini, nephew of Pope Urban VIII, who expanded and renovated it, adding new structures and further landscaping based on designs by the great architect of the time, Gianlorenzo Bernini.
Following Urban VIII’s death in 1644, work at the Villa Barberini came to a halt due to the family’s financial decline. The estate passed to Maffeo Barberini (1631–1685) and later to his son Francesco, who in 1706 had a new carriage gate built. The property eventually came into the hands of Princess Cornelia Costanza of the Barberini lineage, who commissioned the fresco by Buonamici depicting the Delivery of the Keys of Palestrina to Taddeo Barberini.
How long has Castel Gandolfo been linked to the Popes?
The connection between the Popes and the Pontifical Villas is very ancient. Castel Gandolfo takes its name from the castle built around 1200 by the Gandolfi family of Genoa, possibly on the ruins of the ancient city of Alba Longa. The fortress, strong and well-fortified, later passed to the Savelli family, who held it for about 300 years.
In 1596, during the pontificate of Clement VIII, due to an unpaid debt, the Holy See appropriated Castel Gandolfo from the Savelli family. In 1604, the estate officially became inalienable property of the Church.
Pope Paul V (1605–1621) improved the town’s water supply by restoring the aqueduct and draining Lake Turno.
Pope Urban VIII (1623–1644) was the first Pope to regularly spend summers in Castel Gandolfo (starting in 1626). He expanded and renovated the Apostolic Palace, decorated the private chapel, created the Garden of the Moor and constructed the two famous tree-lined avenues we see today: the Upper and Lower Galleries.
Pope Alexander VII (1655–1667) completed the palace with the help of Bernini.
In 1773, Clement XIV acquired the adjacent manor, Villa Cybo, to expand the residence and added a large garden. The manor, originally owned by Cardinal Camillo Cybo, was unfortunately separated from the garden by a public road. A planned bridge connection was never realized.
After the fall of the Papal States in 1870 to the Kingdom of Italy, the residence was abandoned for about 60 years as the confined popes could no longer leave the Vatican. Castel Gandolfo only became the papal summer residence again with the signing of the Lateran Pacts in 1929.
Alternative locations like Villa Farnese or Villa Doria Pamphilj had been considered as part of the new papal state at the time, but ultimately set aside. Villa Barberini at Castel Gandolfo was thus incorporated into the papal complex and eventually enhanced with new gardens, including the so called Belvedere Gardens. Following 1929, restoration work was carried out, and connections between the three manors (Garden of the Moor, Villa Cybo, and Villa Barberini) were built, including a bridge over the Roman Gate.
Finally, in 1934, the Vatican Observatory, entrusted to the Jesuits, was transferred from the Vatican to the Pontifical Villas at Castel Gandolfo, as Rome no longer offered sufficiently dark skies for celestial observations and astronomical research.
How has the connection with the Popes evolved in more recent times?
From the pontificate of Pius XI (1922–1939), Castel Gandolfo became a regular summer residence for the popes of the last century. Pius XI spent up to six months a year there and added a new chapel.
During World War II, Pius XII (1939–1958) transformed the Pontifical Villas into a refugee center for over 12,000 displaced local residents. Forty children were born there, and many victims were counted during the Allied bombing raids. After the war, the Pope resumed summer stays in 1946 and died there in 1958.
John XXIII (1958–1963) began the public recitation of the Angelus and the celebration Our Lady of the Assumption mass on August 15. Paul VI (1963–1978) spent every summer there until his death, initiated public works, and introduced helicopter travel to and from the residence.
John Paul I did not stay there, but John Paul II (1978–2005) used it regularly, even outside the summer season.
Benedict XVI (2005–2013) also stayed there regularly and retired to Castel Gandolfo on February 28, 2013, after resigning from the ministry as Bishop of Rome, remaining until May 2.
The Pontifical Villas have launched a website www.villepontificie.va and an Instagram account. What is the goal?
For about a year now, the Governorate of the Vatican City State has been enhancing its digital communication to raise awareness of its various entities. As part of this effort, the Instagram account @villepontificie was launched to improve communication and reach a wider audience. The account provides updates on the activities and initiatives of the Pontifical Villas, offering useful information for visitors. This new platform aims to engage people who primarily get their news through social media.<
What are the plans for the near future?
As I mentioned earlier, the future of the Pontifical Villas is closely tied to the Pope’s needs and intentions. For now, we are continuing both routine and extraordinary maintenance of the site, in light of further developments. We are, therefore, prepared for any directives the Holy Father may wish to adopt.
In the meantime, with the support of other departments of the Governorate, we are working to ensure that Pope Leo finds a welcoming place to enjoy a peaceful –even if brief - summer stay in Castel Gandolfo, surrounded by the peaceful natural setting and the affection of the local community.
