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Discover the Secret Passageways of the Vatican City

Located within the city of Rome, the Vatican City, commonly known just as “the Vatican”, is the seat of the Catholic Church and home of the current pope, Pope Francis.

The Popes that lived in the Apostolic Palace, within the Vatican City, managed to be saved from invader attacks because of the Vatican’s secret passageways.

Let’s find out more about the infamous corridors that have been protecting the popes for centuries!

Passetto di Borgo: the most popular of Vatican’s secret passageways

The most popular passageway located in the Vatican City is Passetto Di Borgo, also known as “Passetto”. This 800 meters passageway manages to connect the Vatican City to Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome and it was commissioned in the 13th century by Niccolò III.

Passetto di Borgo is only 3,5 meters wide (circa 11.5 feet) making it possible for only two people to pass at once so that popes could not

be easily chased by the people who wanted to harm them.

This passageway is mainly remembered for being used for two famous getaways:

  • In 1494, Pope Alessandro VI used it when the French, under King Charles VIII, attacked the city of Rome;
  • In 1527, Pope Clement VII used it to escape the Sack of Rome and stayed in Castel Sant’Angelo for over seven months, managing to survive the massacre of Rome by the Swiss, German and Spanish troops, led by Charles VII.

Passetto di Borgo used to fully belong to the Vatican City, up until Pope Giovanni Paolo II, who chose to give it to the Italian Government except for the first 80 meters of the tunnel, located in the Vatican City. Nowadays, it’s a popular tourist attraction!

Passetto di Borgo was featured in…

You may have already seen Passetto di Borgo in some movies, books, or video games. This secret passageway is in fact featured in:

  • Assassin’s Creed II (videogame);
  • Mission Impossible 3 (movie);
  • Angels & Demons (novel);
  • The Last Stand by Sabaton (song);

Conclusion

Visiting the Vatican’s secret passageways surely is an unforgettable experience. If you want to fully get lost in the history and beauty of the city of Rome and the Vatican, check out our other blogs on this website and book a Vatican tour with us!