The Palace of the Popes – Viterbo, Italy - Atlas Obscura

The Palace of the Popes

For 24 years of the 13th century the Popes resided in this small city in central Italy because the populace of Rome had turned against them. 

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Viterbo, in Italy,styles itself as the “City of the Popes” and this, gothic style, palace, known locally as Palazzo dei Papi, is the reason why. Most people think of Rome as the home of the Pope but this is not written in stone. Whilst many people remember the abondonment of Rome by the Avingnon Papacy of the 14th century a less well known fact is that, because of opposition to the Pope’s interference in secular affairs, the commune of Rome turned against the Pope in the early 13th century and for 24 years the Papacy decamped to Viterbo in central Italy where they upgraded the bishops’ palace to produce a residence fit for the Pope.

However it seems that not all the work was up to standard. In 1277 Pope John XXI was killed when the roof to his study collapsed and crushed him. The conversation was commissioned by a member of the leading family in Viterbo, Raniero Gatti, who held the position of “Captain of the People”. 

The most important chamber in the palace is the large Sala de Conclave which was the site of the first, and longest, Papal election conclave in history (it took 33 months to select Gregory X) with the people of Viterbo resorting to isolating the cardinals in the palace and reducing their food supply to force a decision. Today entry and exit to the palace are quite easy. Entry can be made either by elevator from close to the Valle Faul park or via the network of streets to the south and east of the palace.

Next to the palace is the Cathedral of Viterbo ( or Duomo) which is Viterbo’s equivalent of St Peter’s Basilica. Many of the Popes’ treasures are now housed in the adjacent Colle de Duomo Museum. The Popes continued to use Viterbo as a luxurious “vacation” retreat when the Papacy returned to Rome. They were fond of their luxuries and none more so than Nicholas V who, long after Viterbo was used as the main papal residence, commissioned a ” bath palace” in Viterbo to make use of the thermal springs in the area (https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/thermal-springs-viterbo-italy).

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