- Duration: 1 hour
- Priority access
- Photos without flash
- Guided tour
- Accessible
Description
In one of the historic quarters of the Urbe, adjacent to the Basilica of St. John Lateran, "Mater et Caput" of all the churches of Rome and the world, stands the Lateran Palace, papal seat and official residence of the Pontiffs for many centuries. Repeatedly damaged over the centuries, by earthquakes, raids and invasions, and punctually restored, it was devastated by fire in 1308: thus, upon the return of the papacy to Rome in 1377 after the Avignon Captivity, the pontiffs fixed their residence at the Vatican.
It, though no longer inhabited, will, however, continue to maintain intact even in later centuries its prerogative as Patriarchium, that is, as the See of the Bishop of Rome; in fact, since time immemorial, all popes elected to the throne of Peter celebrate their taking of possession in the Basilica of St. John Lateran.
The advantages
- Guaranteed access by reservation
- Show your ticket directly on your smartphone and begin your visit
- Welcoming and assistance from our staff
What is included
- Entrance and guided tour of the Lateran Palace in the language of your choice
- Earphones for the visit
- Reservation and administration costs
What is not included
- Guided Tour of the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the Cloister and the Sancta Sanctorum
- Entrance to the Sancta Sanctorum
- Anything not specifically mentioned in "What's Included"
Meeting Point
Metro: line A, stop San Giovanni (5-minute walk from the station)
Open Bus Vatican&Rome: Stop No. 10 San Giovanni in Laterano
To remember
Open days:
- Monday to Saturday (closed Sundays and religious holidays)
Guided tour reservation hours:
- Guided tours in Italian Monday through Saturday 3 p.m.
- Guided tours in English Monday through Saturday 3:00 p.m.
The Full Guided Tour
Hall of Daniel
This is the largest room in the papal apartment and takes its name from the depictions on the vault, which, divided into five compartments, presents episodes from the life of Daniel, the last of the four great prophets who anticipated the coming of Christ.
Private Apartment
The private apartment consists of four very austere furnished rooms: dining room, bedroom with bathroom, library, antechamber and the Chapel. In his private rooms, the Supreme Pontiff remembers that he is a poor priest, a priest in the service of God and His Church.
Private Chapel
The ceilings are from the Sistine period and celebrate the victorious theme of the Resurrection of Our Lord. The rich majolica floor, with a vaguely Renaissance flavor, belongs to modern Italian production and was installed during the extensive restoration of the entire Palace in the early 1960s.
