Apostolic Palace IV: The Third Loggia

I particularly enjoyed the Third Loggia, at the end of which is the door into the Papal Apartments. This is decorated by maps of the known world in c.1518 (the most notable exception being Australia, which must annoy Cardinal Pell when he's visiting the Holy Father). The Loggia is called the Loggia della Cosmografia - not to be confused with the Gallery of the Maps in the Vatican Museums (which only covers the Ecclesiastical States and Italy).

At the end of Loggia III is the map of England and Ireland, carefully watched over by the bust of Gregory XVI - appropriate since it was this kindly Pontiff who increased the number of Apostolic Vicariates in this country from four to eight in 1840, just before the Restoration of the Hierarchy:

This map provided the Pope's most vivid understanding of our isles for several centuries. It was interesting to see which towns were mentioned - sorry about the bad quality of this image, but you can just make out London, Kingston, Windsor, Colchester, Rochester and Canterbury.

We then left the Loggia and entered a terrace with a spectacular view of St Peter's Square - a veritable photo opportunity:



Looking down into the Cortile di San Damaso there was a nice view of the Pope's front door, through which he leaves for visits and audiences:


And finally a happy group of clerics:

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Reading over these posts, it reminds me of the TV series Through the Keyhole, in which contestants watched footage of the inside of a celebrity's house and had to guess who lived there. And so perhaps I should I end by using the show's catchphrase - if you remember the programme, put on a Loyd Grossman Anglo-Bronx voice and say: 'Who'd live in a house like this? David, it's oeverr to yewww.'