Saint Giles in Borgo, Religious oratory in Borgo district, Vatican City
Saint Giles in Borgo is a small church in the Borgo district featuring Romanesque design with rounded arches and modest stonework. The building stands near the Vatican Gardens along a quiet pathway that connects to other religious sites within Vatican City.
The church appeared in written records from the 13th century, when it stood outside a now-vanished gate of Vatican City. Pope Alexander III later placed it under the care of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre with a mission to restore both the building and its associated hospital.
The church serves as a working center for the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, whose presence shapes the daily rhythm of this corner of Vatican City. Visitors can sense how this religious community maintains and cares for the space.
The church sits in a quieter, less-visited area of Vatican City that requires some effort to locate. Visiting during quieter times of day will give you a more peaceful experience of the space and its surroundings.
Since 1926, the church has housed a Vatican tapestry restoration laboratory, a specialized workshop often overlooked by visitors. This hidden craft center carries out meticulous work to preserve important artworks connected to the Church.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
