Vatican Gardens

This week I took a 2-hour walking tour of the Vatican Gardens. It was interesting to go behind St. Peter's Basilica, climb the Vatican Hill, and enjoy the beautifully maintained gardens of Vatican City.

This is the crest of the Pope

in front of the Vatican administration building.

The garden outside the Vatican Pinacoteca.

One section of the garden, next to the Walls of Leo IV, has a full-size reproduction of the Lourdes Grotto in France. Near it are other statues of Mary.

Our Lady of Fatima

appearing to three children in Portugal.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

as seen on the tilma of Juan Diego.

St. John's Tower in the Vatican Wall was built as a "get away lodge" by Pope John XXIII. This was where Pope Benedict XVI entertained US President George Bush and Mr. Bush was heard commenting about the gardens to the Pope: "This is a mighty nice place that you have here."

Behind the Basilica

These are views of things behind Saint Peter's Basilica. The pictures were taken during my tour of the Vatican Gardens.

Back Side of the Sistine Chapel

The Vatican Train Station

Pope John XXIII was the last Pope to use the station for travel. Now the train is used for bringing in supplies and taking out the trash.

The Vatican Heliport

The heliport was built by Pope Paul VI and is used by the Pope for his numerous journeys. I noticed that Pope Benedict XVI traveled by helicopter when he visited the Basicilica of St. Paul near our home. During the summer he uses the helicopter to go back and forth from Castel Gondolfo in the Alban Hills. (The heliport has a bronze statue of the Black Madonna of Czestochowa.)

The Vatican Gas Station

The Vatican Radio Station