Inside Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo XIV’s summer residence: a pool, tennis club, and 135 acres of gardens

It was way back during the Middle Ages when the Gandolfi family commissioned that a castle be built on the ruins of the ancient Roman Emperor Domitian’s villa (81–96 AD), known as the Albanum Domitiani. The grandiose example of striking architecture later came under the ownership of the Savelli family until 1596, when the Vatican acquired it as payment for a debt owed by the the family.

Where is Castel Gandolfo?

Castel Gandolfo, which overlooks the town of the same name, began its papal legacy on May 10, 1626, when Pope Urban VIII became the first pontiff to stay there. Since then, this hillside town in the Lazio region, located about 16 miles southeast of Rome, has served as the summer retreat for generations of popes. Although the palace lies within the town’s boundaries, it enjoys extraterritorial status as a property of the Holy See and does not fall under Italian jurisdiction.

The fall of the Papal States in the 1800s led to a period of dormancy for the resort, but it was revived following the signing of the Lateran Pacts in 1929 between the Holy See and Italy. With this renewed activity, the Vatican Observatory was relocated to the estate and entrusted to the Jesuit Fathers, after light pollution had made astronomical observations difficult near Rome’s bustling city center.

In the modern era, Pope Francis made headlines by choosing not to use Castel Gandolfo as a personal retreat, symbolizing his broader push for a humbler, more accessible papacy. In 2016, he opened parts of the estate—particularly the Apostolic Palace and the Barberini Gardens—to the public for the first time, transforming them into a museum and allowing visitors to stroll through the luxurious gardens and gain insight into the private lives of past popes.

Secrets lie within Castel Gandolfo

Pope Leo XIV will be following in Francis’s footsteps—to a certain extent. He will stay in the less formal Villa Barberini instead of the traditional Apostolic Palace, opting for a blend of tradition with a modern display of restraint. The Pope is scheduled to spend his vacation there from July 6 to 20, and again from August 15 to 17.

The residence boasts a wide range of amenities, including the Centro Sportivo Saroli Club; various gardens, such as the Giardino del Moro (“The Moor’s Garden”) and the Secret Garden; and, for the Pope and his closest associates, a private chapel, a library, and a study. For the public, there is a large museum complex that offers access to historical collections and other exhibition areas inaugurated just last year.

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