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Vatican
Gardens in The
Vatican City -
Information about
The Vatican Gardens-
Vatican Garden in
Rome - attraction in
the Holy see.
www.vaticanmuseuminformation.com
The Vatican Gardens
have been a place of
quiet and meditation
for the Popes ever
since 1279 when
Nicholas III
moved
his residence back
to the V atican
from the Lateran
Palace.
Within the
new walls, which he
had built to protect
his residence, he
planted an orchard (pomerium),
a lawn (pratellum)
and a garden (viridarium).
The event is
recorded among other
places on a stone
plaque which can be
viewed in the Sala dei Capitani of the
Palazzo dei
Conservatori on
Romes Capitoline
Hill.
Created around
the hill of
Saint Egidio where today
can be found the
Palazzetto del
Belvedere building
and the courtyards
of the Vatican
Museums, this was to
be the first Garden
in the Vatican.
Along the ilex
avenue that leads on
from here to the
French Garden you
will be struck by
the strong scent of
the flowers and
wood
of the majestic
camphor tree (Cinnamomum
glanduliferum Meissn).
Beyond this Garden
lies the heliport
built under
 Pope
Paul VI (Giovanni
Battista Montini,
1963-1978) which
Roman Pontiffs now
regularly use when
going on their
numerous pastoral
journeys.
The
heliport has been
placed under the
protection of the
Black Madonna of
Czestochowa depicted
here in a bronze
image.
From here one
can admire the great
open space of the
French Garden, by
strolling along
the red rock paths lined
with ancient
terracotta pots
adorned with the
papal coat of arms
and filled with
stunning azaleas
(Rhododendron L.
sp.).
Placed here is
a dug-in water
cistern which can
hold up to eight
million litres of
water necessary for
irrigation, filling
up the fountains and
an anti-fire
precaution of the
Gardens.
Surrounding
this area are some
rare trees.
Among
these are: an
Australian silk-oak
(Grevillea robusta
A.Cunn.), two very
tall examples of
dawn redwood (Metasequoia
glyptostroboides Hu
& Cheng.), an olive
tree donated by the
State of Israel to
mark the
establishment of
diplomatic relations
with the Holy See,
and a wide variety
of other trees
donate d
over the years by
different
delegations visiting
the Holy Father.
Wander the gardens
of the Vatican City,
witnessing the
beauty and splendor
of the delightful
fountains and a
curious mixture of
mythology and sacred
history. Walk in the
steps of history
while experiencing
the lavish aromas of
the surrounding
ancient wood, filled
with leafy Holm
oaks, bitter oaks,
durmast oaks
cypresses and even a
majestic beech.
These 44.5 acres of
gardens within
the
Vatican walls offer
you the chance to
sense the
generations of popes
who walked through
these fascinating
gardens.
www.vaticanmuseuminformation.com
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