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Apostolic Palace

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Apostolic Palace

Apostolic Palace

The Apostolic Palace is the official residence of the Pope and the seat of the Holy See's administration inside Vatican City. Visitors don't tour it as a standalone sight in the way they would a museum; its main draw is the Sistine Chapel, which is part of the palace complex and reached through the Vatican Museums route. The building is also known as the Papal Palace or the Palace of Sixtus V, after the pope who gave it much of its current form.

Getting there

From central Rome, the Vatican area is generally reached by metro (Ottaviano-San Pietro or Cipro stations on Line A) followed by a 10-15 minute walk, or by bus. Depending on where in the centre you start, allow roughly 20-40 minutes door to door.

How much time to allow

Since the palace itself isn't independently open for general visits, plan your time around the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel visit, which typically takes a few hours if you go through the main galleries.

When to go

The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel are among the most crowded sights in Rome, especially late morning through early afternoon and during peak tourist season. Arriving early in the day tends to mean thinner crowds.

Combine with

  • Sistine Chapel (0.2km) - part of the same visit, as it sits within the palace complex.
  • Saint Peter's Square (0.2km) - the open square in front of St. Peter's Basilica.
  • St. Peter's Basilica (0.3km) - within easy walking distance.
  • Vatican Museums (0.3km) - the entry point for seeing the Sistine Chapel.

These four sights cluster tightly together, so they're easily combined into a single half-day or full-day visit to the Vatican area.

Updated September 20, 2026 · Edited by the World by City editors

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Itineraries including this place

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Good to visit alongside

Saint Peter's Square

Parks & gardens

Saint Peter's Square

St. Peter's Square is the vast plaza that opens up directly in front of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. Rows of columns forming a colonnade enclose the oval space on either side, creating a natural approach visitors pass through before entering the basilica.

0.2 km away
Sistine Chapel

Temples & religious sites

Sistine Chapel

The Sistine Chapel is a chapel within the Apostolic Palace, the pope's official residence in Vatican City. Commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV between 1473 and 1481, who gave it his name, it has served as a venue for religious ceremonies and official Vatican functions, and remains the site where the conclave elects each new pope.

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St. Peter's Basilica

Temples & religious sites

St. Peter's Basilica

St. Peter's Basilica is a Catholic church in Vatican City, built between 1506 and 1626 under Popes Nicholas V and Julius II to replace the original 4th-century basilica founded by Constantine. Visitors come to see its Renaissance and Baroque architecture and interiors, shaped by Michelangelo, Bernini, and others, and it remains a central site of the Catholic faith.

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Vatican Museums

Museums & galleries

Vatican Museums

The Vatican Museums are a group of museums in Vatican City displaying collections gathered by the Catholic Church and its popes over centuries. They present major works of ancient Roman sculpture alongside Renaissance art, from a total collection of about 70,000 pieces, of which roughly 20,000 are on permanent display.

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Vatican Apostolic Archives

Temples & religious sites

Vatican Apostolic Archives

The Vatican Apostolic Archive, also well known by its former name, the "Vatican Secret Archives," is the central repository for documents and records issued by the Holy See. It is not an exhibition space open to casual tourists, but rather a scholarly institution where historians and researchers examine materials in a reading room after obtaining prior authorization.

0.4 km away
Castel Sant'Angelo

Museums & galleries

Castel Sant'Angelo

Castel Sant'Angelo was originally built by the Roman emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family, later becoming a fortress dedicated to the Archangel Michael by the popes, who gave it its present cylindrical form.

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