Gardener's Lodge, Historical residence in Vatican City, Italy

The Gardener's Lodge is a single-room house on the grounds of the Vatican Gardens, built in 1776 as a store for garden equipment and later turned into the head gardener's residence. It is the smallest building in Vatican City. Its name appears in Italian as Casina del Giardiniere.

The building was constructed in 1776 originally as a storage space for garden equipment before later becoming the gardener's residence. It has remained the smallest structure within Vatican City's territory ever since.

The lodge sits within the Vatican Gardens, where gardeners have tended beds and pathways for centuries while maintaining traditional layouts. This setting reflects the connection between daily garden work and the Vatican's spiritual life.

The building sits within a restricted area and is not accessible to visitors since it remains a private residence. It can be viewed from outside if you join guided tours through the Vatican Gardens.

The gardener living here cares for historical garden areas, including boxwood labyrinths laid out under Pope Julius II in the 16th century. This role connects practical daily work with the stewardship of hundreds of years of garden history.