Papal Coats of Arms on the Buildings and Monuments of Rome

Rome: City of the Popes

9/3/2024

Coat of arms of Pope Clement XII, St John Lateran, Rome

Coat of Arms of Pope Clement XII (1730-40), St John Lateran

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*In the coat of arms of Pope Benedict XVI (r. 2005-13) the papal tiara has been replaced by a bishop's mitre.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

List of Popes: 1417-Present.

15th Century

Coat of arms of Pope Martin V, cloister of church of St John Lateran, Rome

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

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

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

Coat of arms of Pope Pius II, Sant' Andrea della Valle, Rome

Pope Pius II (r. 1458-64), Sant' Andrea della Valle

Coat of arms of Pope Paul II, Palazzo Venezia, Rome

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

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

Pope Innocent VIII (r. 1484-92), Via Lata

Coat of arms of Pope Alexander VI, Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome

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

16th Century

Coat of arms of Pope Julius II, Palazzo della Cancelleria, Rome

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

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

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

Coat of arms of Pope Adrian VI, Santa Maria dell' Anima, Rome

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

Coat of arms of Pope Paul III, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

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

Coat of arms of Pope Julius III, courtyard of Palazzo Spada, Rome

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

Coat of arms of Pope Pius IV, Porta Pia, Rome

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

Pope Pius V (1566-72), Santa Maria sopra Minerva

Coat of arms of Pope Gregory XIII, Via del Babuino, Rome

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

Coat of arms of Pope Sixtus V, Palazzo del Laterano, Rome.

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

17th Century

Coat of arms of Pope Paul V, Fontana dell' Acqua Paola, Rome

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

Coat of arms of Pope Gregory XV, church of Sant' Ignazio, Rome

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

Coat of arms of Pope Urban VIII, Triton Fountain, Rome

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

Coat of arms of Pope Innocent X, Fountain of the Four Rivers, Piazza Navona, Rome

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

Coat of arms of Pope Alexander VII, Piazza San Pietro, Rome

Pope Alexander VII (r. 1655-67), Piazza San Pietro

Coat of arms of Pope Clement IX, Palazzo del Banco di Santo Spirito, Rome

Pope Clement IX (r. 1667-69), Palazzo del Banco di Santo Spirito

Coat of arms of Pope Clement X, Palazzo Altieri, Rome

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

Coat of arms of Pope Alexander VIII, Fontana dell' Acqua Paola, Rome

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

Pope Innocent XII (r. 1691-1700), St Peter's Basilica

18th Century

Coat of arms of Pope Clement XI, Fontana del Pantheon, Rome

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

Coat of arms of Pope Benedict XIII, Santa Maria sopra Minerva, Rome

Pope Benedict XIII (r. 1724-30), Santa Maria sopra Minerva

Coat of arms of Pope Clement XII, Palazzo della Consulta, Rome

Pope Clement XII (r. 1730-40), Palazzo della Consulta

Coat of arms of Pope Benedict XIV, Triclinium of Pope Leo III, Rome

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

Coat of arms of Pope Clement XIII, Palazzo del Quirinale, Rome

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

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

19th Century

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

Coat of arms of Pope Leo XII, church of San Paolo fuori le Mura, Rome

Pope Leo XII (r. 1823-28), San Paolo fuori le Mura

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

Pope Gregory XVI (r. 1831-46), Palazzo del Quirinale

Coat of arms of Pope Pius IX, Porta San Pancrazio, Rome

Pope Pius IX (r. 1846-76), Porta San Pancrazio

Coat of arms of Pope Leo XIII, San Lorenzo in Panisperna, Rome

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

20th Century

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

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

Coat of arms of Pope Benedict XV (1914-22), church of Ss Giovanni e Paolo, Rome

Pope Benedict XV (r. 1914-22), Ss Giovanni e Paolo

Coat of arms of Pope Pius XI, Vatican Museums, Rome

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

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

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

Pope Paul VI (r. 1963-78), Lateran Baptistery

Pope John Paul II (r. 1978-2005), Entrance to Vatican Museums

21st Century

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

Pope Benedict XVI (r. 2005-13), St Paul Outside the Walls

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

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