Apartment of Pope Paul V

Paul V had his apartment in the southern wing of the building which was built between 1615 and 1616 and overlooks the street of Via del Quirinale

By Quirinale Palace

Institutional visit

View of the Room of the VirtuesQuirinale Palace

The Room of the Virtues

The Room of the Virtues (Sala delle Virtù) is one of the first rooms you come to in Pope Paul V's apartment.

The decor, which can also be found in the other rooms, is typical of the 1600s. There is a frescoed frieze on the walls and a papal coat of arms in the center of the vault.

Decoration of the ceiling in the Sala delle VirtùQuirinale Palace

The vault

The papal coat of arms, visible today in the center of the vault, belonged to Pius IX. It replaces the original coat of arms of Paul V.

It is flanked by the personifications of the Church anche the Charity.

View of the vault of Room of the Virtues by Alessandro MantovaniQuirinale Palace

The remaining decoration in the vault also dates back to the time of Pius IX. It is the work of the painter Alessandro Mantovani, who created an architectural trompe-l’oeil (a visual illusion in art) adorned with four medallions featuring cherubs that represent the Arts.

The frieze

The name of the room derives from the decoration of the frieze depicting the Four Cardinal Virtues (Quattro Virtù Cardinali). It was painted by Cesare Rossetti in 1616.

Tapestry "The Merchants are Banished from the Temple" (1757/1759) by Gobelins manufacture, Paris, Michel Audran's atelier, cartoon by Jean-Baptiste JouvenetQuirinale Palace

The tapestry

The tapestry showing the Expulsion of the Merchants from the Temple (Cacciata dei Mercanti dal Tempio) is part of an imposing series of eight pieces dedicated to the New Testament. It was woven in the Gobelins Manufactory in Paris in the mid-1700s and comes from the papal collections.

Four tapestries from the series remained at the Quirinal Palace when it passed to the Savoy family.

With its superb texture and brilliant colors, the cloth depicts Christ on the steps of the Temple of Jerusalem driving away the merchants who, crowded into the atrium, desecrate the Lord's house with their trades.

It was woven between 1757 and 1759 and was donated by Napoleon to Pius VII in 1805.

View of the Room of the VirtuesQuirinale Palace

On the sides of the tapestry are two Mexican terracotta vases from the late 17th century. They are painted in polychrome with parts embossed and are placed on imposing gilded pedestals.

Vase in Mexican terracotta (Fine XVII secolo) by Guadalajara workshops in MexicoQuirinale Palace

In front, there is a double-headed eagle, a reference to the Habsburgs—a family who then ruled both Spain and the lands of the New World. 

Oriental vase with Clemente XIV stand (1720/1723)Quirinale Palace

The other two vases in the room are part of a collection of oriental porcelain collected by the popes in the second half of the 18th century. 

The bases, carved in 1774, were made specifically to be exhibited at the Quirinal Palace and bear the insignia of Pope Clement XIV.

View of the Room of the LoggiasQuirinale Palace

The Room of the Loggias

Continuing through the rooms that were part of Pope Paul V's apartment, there is then the Room of the Loggias (Sala delle Logge).

Decoration of the Room of the Loggias (19th century) by Annibale AngeliniQuirinale Palace

The Loggia with the Swiss Guards

The room takes its name from the trompe-l’oeil loggia painted on the sides of the vault.

It is a pleasant 19th-century decoration by the painter and set designer Annibale Angelini, who showed off his skills as an artist specialized in perspective rendering.

Decoration of the Room of the Loggias (19th century) by Annibale AngeliniQuirinale Palace

Inspired by the frescoes in the Great Hall of the Cuirassiers (Salone dei Corazzieri), Angelini created a trompe-l’oeil loggia in which several Swiss Guards move around and idly look out.

View of the ceiling in the Sala delle LoggeQuirinale Palace

The vault

In the center of the vault, as in the adjoining rooms, the papal coat of arms of Pius IX is painted, which replaced that of Paul V in the mid-19th century.

The papal emblem is flanked by the figures of Justice and Temperance.

The detached frescoes

The five frescoes, rediscovered by chance in 1951, were detached from the wall, inventoried as movable works, transferred to canvas, and later exhibited in the Sala delle Logge.

The five frescoes, rediscovered by chance in 1951, were detached from the wall, inventoried as movable works, transferred to canvas, and later exhibited in the Sala delle Logge.

Orvieto (1634/1635) by Simone Lagi and Marco Tullio MontagnaQuirinale Palace

They depict monuments and cities connected to the measures implemented by Pope Urban VIII Barberini during his pontificate.

Orvieto is depicted because of its fortifications and masonry built by the Pope.

The port of Civitavecchia (1634/1635) by Simone Lagi and Marco Tullio MontagnaQuirinale Palace

Civitavecchia is represented because of its fortification works, as well as its port works, which were carried out to make docking safer thanks to the erection of a new lighthouse and the restoration of the old one.

Pantheon (1634/1635) by Simone Lagi and Marco Tullio MontagnaQuirinale Palace

The Pantheon is shown with two small bell towers erected to a design by Carlo Maderno in 1626 and then demolished during restoration work carried out in 1881–1883.

Castel Sant'Angelo (1634/1635) by Simone Lagi and Marco Tullio MontagnaQuirinale Palace

Castel Sant'Angelo is depicted because of the important works carried out by the pontiff, who intervened on the already existing defensive works to erect new and more functional bastions.

The Church of St Caius (1634/1635) by Simone Lagi and Marco Tullio MontagnaQuirinale Palace

The Church of San Caio, which no longer exists, was renovated by the Pope in 1631. It was annexed to the Carmelite monastery, which the pontiff wanted on the street called via Pia in Rome (now via XX Settembre).

View of the Room of the LoggiasQuirinale Palace

The micromosaic painting

On the inner wall of the room hangs a mosaic reproduction of Raphael's Madonna della Seggiola (Madonna of the Chair), created by the Vatican Mosaic Studio (Studio Vaticano del Mosaico).

The painting was donated to Queen Elena by Pope Pius XI to mark the first visit of the sovereigns to the Vatican after the signing of the Lateran Treaty in 1929.

Console table

The large console table, located under the mosaic, is gilded and richly carved with large foliage in late 17th-century style.

View of the Room of the BussolantiQuirinale Palace

The Doorkeepers Room

Adjacent to the Sala delle Logge is the Room of the Bussalanti (Sala dei Bussolanti).

The room still retains a name linked to the vocabulary of the papal court: the Bussolanti were the employees of the pope's antechambers.

The frieze

This room also features the decor that Paul V wanted for his apartment in the Quirinal Palace.

Under the pontificate of Pius IX distinct restoration works were carried out, which altered the 17th-century frieze by adding eight landscape scenes that recount episodes from the life of Saint Benedict.

Detail of the decoration on the ceiling of the Sala dei BussolantiQuirinale Palace

The vault

In the center of the vault is the papal coat of arms of Pius IX, which had replaced that of Paul V. It is flanked by the allegorical figures of the earthly Charity and the divine Charity.

Triumph of Divine Wisdom (1675) by Giovan Battista Gaulli known as BacicciaQuirinale Palace

Gaulli's canvas

On the wall adjacent to the Room of the Loggia is the Triumph of Divine Wisdom (Trionfo della Divina Sapienza) by Giovan Battista Gaulli, known as Baciccia.

The oil painting on canvas is a preparatory sketch for the fresco by Baciccia on the ceiling of the Jesuit Library in Rome. It dates back to 1675.

View of the Room of the Bussolanti with the oratory of Paolo VQuirinale Palace

The Oratory of Paul V

This room was the last in the 17th-century apartment.

It stands out from the others because, in 2020, a hidden panel was removed from the upholstery, which made it possible to reopen a passage which was formerly concealed.

The oratory of Pope Paul V (17th century)Quirinale Palace

From the door, Paul V could access a small private oratory created in the thickness of the wall that separates the Pauline Chapel (Cappella Paolina) from the papal apartment.

This room allowed the pope to attend mass privately.

Through a small window, made during the pontificate of Alexander VII, the pope could look directly at the chapel's altar.

Vault of the private oratory of Paul VQuirinale Palace

The small oratory is the work of Martino Ferabosco's workshop. He decorated the vault with entirely gilded stuccos.

Detail of the decoration of the oratory of Pope Paul V (17th century) by Cesare RossettiQuirinale Palace

The walls of the tiny room, on the other hand, bear fresco paintings by Cesare Rossetti.

View of the oratory of Paul V, 17th century, From the collection of: Quirinale Palace
,
View of the oratory of Paolo V, From the collection of: Quirinale Palace
,
Room of the oratory of Pope Paul V, From the collection of: Quirinale Palace
Show lessRead more

View of the Salottino di San GiovanniQuirinale Palace

The Parlor of St. John

Near the Sala dei Bussolanti, behind a small corridor, is the Parlor of St. John (Salottino San Giovanni), which was probably used as a support space for the adjacent sacristy.

Today it is a passageway room, which nevertheless holds a number of important works.

Detail of the ceiling in the Salottino di San GiovanniQuirinale Palace

The vault

The vault retains traces both from the time of Paul V, who had it decorated with stuccoes and frescoes as early as 1616, and from the Savoy period.

However, the decorations from the Napoleonic period, which depicted episodes from mythology, did not survive; they were covered at the time of the papal restoration.

The elegant stucco cladding visible today was probably made in 1616 by Martino Ferabosco and was gilded by Agapito Visconti.

The stuccoes are still original: the eagle (the emblem) is depicted in the four corners of the vault of the Borghese family.

The mural paintings, which date back to the Savoys, are more recent.

Made at the end of the 19th century, the decoration has a trompe-l’oeil opening towards the sky in the center of the vault with two foreshortened cherubs.

The four allegorical figures, painted inside the angular medallions in white and gilded stucco, are also part of the Savoys' decoration.

Four rectangular landscapes were inserted in the side panels, between the stuccos. They are painted by Annibale Angelini. The Savoy family wanted to celebrate four palaces of the new nation.

Royal Palace of Naples - Detail of the vault (Late 70s-early 80s of the 19th century) by Annibale AngeliniQuirinale Palace

The Royal Palace of Naples,

Royal Palace of Venice - Detail of the vault (Late Seventies and early Eighties of the Nineteenth century) by Annibale AngeliniQuirinale Palace

The Royal Palace of Venice,

Royal Palace of Florence - Detail of the vault (Late Seventies and early Eighties of the 19th century) by Annibale AngeliniQuirinale Palace

The Royal Palace of Florence,

St John ParlourQuirinale Palace

and the Royal Palace of Turin.

Saint John the Baptist in the Desert (16th century) by Anonymous RomanQuirinale Palace

The canvas with Saint John

The room takes its name from the oil painted canvas, depicting Saint John the Baptist in the desert. It is a 16th-century copy of Raphael's original, held in the Uffizi in Florence.

Because of its excellent quality, the canvas has been attributed to Giulio Romano, the most gifted of Raphael's pupils.

The painting is among the few that come from the papal collections. It was purchased for 1000 scudi from Pope Clement XII as a work of Raphael.

View of the St John Palour with the octagonal table and oriental vasesQuirinale Palace

The marble and semiprecious stone table

Among the most valuable furnishings in the parlor is the octagonal table with a precious top inlaid in semi-precious stones and colored marble on a white background, with a carved and gilded wooden base.

The object was once located in the Alcove Hall (Sala dell'Alcova) in the Royal Palace of Turin.

Octagonal top in colored marble and semiprecious stones on a white background (Second half of the 16th century)Quirinale Palace

The top is probably a Roman work made in the second half of the 16th century. Influenced by Florentine models, it has a very rare octagonal shape.

It is a wonderful example of an inlay with precious colored marbles. In the center, it has a disc of Palombara cloudy alabaster surrounded by two concentric decorative bands.

In the outermost band, alabaster blocks and Aquitaine marble are flanked by stylized lilies in antique red and Belgian black.

The rich curved perimeter frame has a motif of alternating bands that seem to simulate the winding of a dark ribbon around the edge.

Table base (1665/1680) by Workshop of Filippo ParodiQuirinale Palace

On the gilded wooden base, created in a later period, two intertwined dolphins are carved. Their tails wrap around a trunk with vines, leafy branches, and bunches of grapes

This base has exemplary, elegant features including real vine shoots that have been suitably gilded

Detail of the table base decoration (Genoa) by Workshop of Filippo ParodiQuirinale Palace

The leaves are made of papier-mâché, prepared in plaster and subsequently gilded.

Discover more!
Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
Explore more
Related theme
Palazzo del Quirinale
The Home of all Italians opens its doors to everyone
View theme
Google apps