Governorate's Palace, Administrative palace in Vatican City.
The Governorate's Palace is an administrative palace in Vatican City, made up of three connected buildings designed in an eclectic architectural style. The facade combines different window shapes and ornamental details drawn from several European traditions of the early 20th century.
The palace was completed in 1931 by architect Giuseppe Momo, just a few years after the Lateran Treaty of 1929 established Vatican City as an independent state. It was built from the start to serve as the seat of the new state's civil administration.
The Governorate's Palace houses the offices that run Vatican City as a territory, separate from the Church's religious functions. Visitors who walk through the Vatican Gardens can see how the building sits apart from the surrounding religious spaces, giving a sense of the Vatican's dual nature as both a state and a holy site.
The palace can be seen from the outside during guided tours of the Vatican Gardens, which need to be booked in advance. The interior is not open to the public since the building is still in active use as a government office.
The architect Giuseppe Momo, who designed this palace, is better known for the double-helix spiral staircase inside the Vatican Museums, which he also created. Both works come from the same period and stand only a short walk apart.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
