Rome: City of the Popes

Coat of arms of Pope Clement XII (1730-40), Trevi Fountain

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Many of the buildings and monuments in the centre of Rome are emblazoned with the coats of arms of some of the many popes who once ruled the Eternal City. Papal rule came to an end on September 20th, 1870, and a few months later Rome became the capital of the Kingdom of Italy.

A papal coat of arms is easily identifiable, as the escutcheon will be surmounted by the triregnum* (triple tiara or triple crown) and two keys. The keys, a reference to St Peter, are crossed and turned up towards heaven. 

A pope who came from a family without a coat of arms would assume one upon becoming a bishop. 

Many popes were great patrons of art and architecture and, as a consequence, their coats of arms proliferate throughout the city. A good example is Pope Urban VIII (r. 1623-44), who belonged to the Barberini family. The family's coat of arms is made up of three bees and the Barberini bees can be seen buzzing about all over Rome.

*In the coat of arms of Pope Benedict XVI (r. 2005-13) the papal tiara has been replaced by a bishop's mitre. The mitre's three stripes recall the three crowns of the tiara. 

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15th Century

Coat of arms of Pope Martin V (r. 1417-31), cloister of St John Lateran

Coat of arms of Pope Nicholas V (r. 1447-55), Aurelian Walls

Coat of arms of Pope Callixtus III (r. 1455-58), Ponte Milvio

Coat of arms of Pope Pius II (r. 1458-64, Sant' Andrea della Valle,

Coat of arms of Pope Paul II (r. 1464-71), Palazzo Venezia

Coat of arms of Pope Sixtus IV (r. 1471-84), Palazzo della Cancelleria

Coat of arms of Pope Alexander VI (r. 1492-1503), Santa Maria Maggiore

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16th Century

Coat of arms of Pope Julius II (r. 1503-13), Palazzo della Cancelleria

Coat of arms of Pope Leo X (r. 1513-1521), Santa Maria in Domnica

Coat of arms of Pope Adrian VI (r. 1522-23), Santa Maria dell' Anima

Coat of arms of Pope Paul III (r. 1534-49), Palazzo Farnese

Coat of arms of Pope Julius III (r. 1550-55), Palazzo Spada

Coat of arms of Pope Pius IV (r. 1559-65), Porta Pia

Coat of arms of Pope Pius V (1565-72), Santa Maria sopra Minerva

Coat of arms of Pope Gregory XIII (r. 1572-85), Via del Babuino

Coat of arms of Pope Sixtus V (r. 1585-90), Palazzo del Laterano

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17th Century

Coat of arms of Pope Paul V (r. 1605-21), Fontana dell' Acqua Paola

Coat of arms of Pope Gregory XV (r. 1621-23), church of Sant' Ignazio

Coat of arms of Pope Urban VIII (r. 1623-44), Triton Fountain

Coat of arms of Pope Innocent X (r. 1644-55), Fountain of the Four Rivers

Coat of arms of Pope Alexander VII (1655-67), Piazza San Pietro

Coat of arms of Pope Clement IX (1667-69), Palazzo del Banco di Santo Spirito

Coat of arms of Pope Clement X (r. 1670-76), Palazzo Altieri

Coat of arms of Pope Alexander VIII (r. 1689-91), Fontana dell' Acqua Paola

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18th Century

Coat of arms of Pope Clement XI (r. 1700-21), Fontana del Pantheon

Coat of arms of Pope Clement XII (1730-40), Palazzo della Consulta

Coat of arms of Pope Benedict XIV (r. 1740-58), Triclinium of Pope Leo III

Coat of arms of Pope Clement XIII (r. 1758-69), Palazzo del Quirinale

Coat of arms of Pope Pius VI (r. 1775-79), St Peter's Basilica

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19th Century

Coat of arms of Pope Pius VII (1800-23), Obelisk of Antinous

Coat of arms of Pope Gregory XVI (1831-46), Palazzo del Quirinale

Coat of arms of Pope Pius IX (1846-76), Porta San Pancrazio

Coat of arms of Pope Leo XIII (r. 1878-1903), San Lorenzo in Panisperna

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20th Century

Coat of arms of Pope Pius X (r. 1903-14), Santa Maria Liberatrice a Testaccio

Coat of arms of Pope Pius XI (r. 1922-39), Vatican Museums

Coat of arms of Pope Pius XII (r. 1939-58), Piazza Pia

Coat of arms of Pope John XXIII (r. 1958-63), Church of Our Lady of Lourdes

Coat of arms of Pope John Paul II, St Peter's Basilica

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21st Century

Coat of arms of Pope Benedict XVI (r. 2005-13), St Paul's Outside the Walls

Coat of arms of Pope Francis (r. 2013-), Chiesa del Gesu