Fortress · Vatican City · Restored

Leonine City

Mura leonine

The Leonine City is the district around the Vatican Hill that was enclosed by the Leonine Wall, a medieval fortification commissioned by Pope Leo IV in the 9th century. The wall and its towers defined a self-contained urban quarter (Civitas Leonina) around St Peter's precinct; many stretches and later bastions survive and form much of the modern Vatican boundary.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

Its prime

1565

Today

Restored

As it stood in 1565

What Leonine City looked like in its prime.

A continuous high curtain of pale tuff and brick masonry, about four metres thick at the base, topped by a crenellated walk and merlons. Regularly spaced rectangular towers approximately 14 metres high punctuate the curtain, with a dominant massive round corner tower crowning the hill. Gates are broad stone arches flanked by defensive towers; later sections show sloped brick-and-travertine bastions. The wall rings the Vatican slope, against lawns, umbrella pines and trimmed terraces.

Step inside

8 places to explore in 1565.

The record describes 8 distinct spots at Leonine City, including 2 interiors: porta san pellegrino (main gate), passetto di borgo (covered corridor). Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more photos, more angles and more of the immersive experience.

Approach from Castel Sant'AngeloTorrione (round corner tower) — exteriorCurtain wall and rectangular towersPorta San Pellegrino (main gate)Passetto di Borgo (covered corridor)Bastione del Sangallo and rampartsChain towers on the TiberFonte del Sacramento and nearby wall remains

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