Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-07-14
THE VATICAN PALACE.

IL mas lODS pSSu hhVNh 'h"' 9V"S
parts of the Vatican in Rome are un-
safe; but it has just been discovered that
the palace is practically falling to pieces.
Even the corner where the POpe's apart
ment is situated needs Strengthening,
and the pontii is moving out. The
walls, which are cracked, bulging aud
leaning outward, will be temporarily
strengthened Immediately. TO make the
whole building safe will require more
than 500, 900.
For about 400 years the Vatican
Palace has been the Officisl residence oil
the popes. 1t is situated on the Mons
Vaticanus, one of the seven hills OF
Rome. in the northwestern part OF the
CITY. Previously the official residence
was the Lateran Palace. This was found
in such a bad condition by Pope Gregory
XII Q370!7S) that he moved his place
of abode to the Vatican.
The papal palace acjoiDs the baslllca
of St. Peter and is lillle less than hall
a mile from the castle of SAINT Angelo,
with which it communicates by a GOV
cred gallery hnilt by Pope John NXlll.
early in the tilteenth century.
The palace, one Of the most magniti'
cent in the world, has grown up by de-
grees, and consequently exhibits a great
want of architectural harmony. There
was a palace attached to 1t. Peters Ger.
tainly in the time of Charlemagne, and
probably before the reign of Constantine.
1t was rebuilt bv Innocent III.
.QI9S.I2lG) and enlarged by Nicholas
i'll Q277.SD, but did not become the
permanent residence of the popes until
1887. Little Of the present edtice IA
older than the time of Nicholas y.
Q44O.
The renovation OF the old place, which
he commenced, was completed by Alex
ander V. Q492-l50S), after whom that
part OF the building is now called the
AppartmentO Borgia.
The famous Sistine Chape, was added
by Sixtus ~ in l474, ahd the Pauline
Chapel by Paul III. in 1884 Innocent
VIII Q4Si 92) constructed the Belve-
dere vi Ia short distance from the
ps lace, and Juhus II. Q5O3-lS) con-
nected it with the Vatican by means OF
the celebrated loggie aud a te'raced
court. To Julius II. is also due the
foundation of the museum. Plus VII.
constructed the bracciO nuOvO for sculp-
lures; Gregory XVI. added the Etruscan
Museum, and Plus IN. added fourth
side to the cOrtile di San DamasO.
The portion of the Vatican which is
! now the ordinary residence of the rOpes
lies on the east of the lOggie and was
built chiefly by Sixtus Y. O5S5-OO) and
Clement VIII. O592-l605). The whole
palace, which is rather collection OF
separate buildings than one regular edl-
fee occupies space of |, l5lx76I ieeI,
and has 200 stair cases, 20 courts and
4, 422 rooms.
The scala regia, or great staircase, Is
a masterpiece of BerniDi, and chiefly re-
| markable for its perspective. 1t leads
to the Sala Regia, built by ADtOaia di
Sangsllo as an audience hall for the re.
cepliou OF ambassadors, aud decorated
with frescOes by Nsssri, Marco ds Siena,
TaddeC and FEDERICO Zucchero, Giuseppe
Porta and others.
On November /, 1908, fire occurred
in that part of the Vatican containing
the Hall of inscriptions, where the Pope
gives his audiences, and which adjolns
the gallery Of pictures. While the dam
age was considerable, no lives we're lost.