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| Aula Paolo VI | |
|---|---|
| Name | Aula Paolo VI |
| Location | Vatican City, Rome, Italy |
| Architect | Gio Ponti, Pier Luigi Nervi |
| Client | Holy See |
| Owner | Holy See |
| Start date | 1965 |
| Completion date | 1971 |
| Style | Modernist |
| Capacity | 6,300 |
Aula Paolo VI Aula Paolo VI is a large modernist hall in Vatican City named for Pope Paul VI. Located on the Vatican Museums route near Saint Peter's Basilica, the hall serves as a multipurpose venue for Roman Catholic Church gatherings, international audiences, ecumenical meetings, and cultural events. It was commissioned during the pontificate of Pope John XXIII and completed under Pope Paul VI, reflecting post‑conciliar liturgical and architectural trends.
Construction began in 1965 as part of projects initiated by Pope John XXIII and advanced under Pope Paul VI to accommodate the expanded functions of the Holy See after the Second Vatican Council. The building was designed by Italian architects Gio Ponti and Pier Luigi Nervi with involvement from Enrico Peressutti and Cesare Galeazzi. The hall was inaugurated in 1971 during the reign of Pope Paul VI and has since hosted papal audiences, ecumenical services involving leaders from Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion, and World Council of Churches, as well as diplomatic gatherings with delegations from United Nations member states. Over decades, the venue has been used for ceremonies connected to papacies of Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis, and for events linked to organizations such as Caritas Internationalis, Pontifical Council for Culture, and Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.
The hall exemplifies a modernist idiom linked to Italian structural design by Pier Luigi Nervi and aesthetic planning by Gio Ponti, blending reinforced concrete engineering associated with Rationalism (architecture) and Modern architecture (Italy). The exterior presents a unadorned façade situated near the Vatican Gardens and the Borgo area, while the interior emphasizes a cruciform arrangement echoing liturgical geometry favored after the Second Vatican Council. Engineering solutions reference Nervi’s work on projects like Palazzo dello Sport and the structural vocabulary of Italian Rationalism, and decorative commissions involved artists from circles related to Contemporary art movements in Rome and Milan. The design integrates audiovisual considerations to serve broadcasts by organizations such as Vatican Media and accommodates diplomatic protocol for delegations including ambassadors accredited to the Holy See.
The hall was planned to seat about 6,300 people and includes tiered seating, press areas used by correspondents from outlets like L'Osservatore Romano and international agencies, and spaces for delegations from entities such as European Union member states. Facilities include sacristies for liturgical preparation, translation booths for representatives of multilingual bodies like the European Commission, and technical rooms for sound and lighting systems used by production companies during concerts, conferences organized by Pontifical Lateran University, and symposiums hosted by institutions like Accademia dei Lincei. Accessibility features accommodate official entourages from episcopal conferences such as the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Conference of European Churches.
The hall has been a principal venue for general audiences when weather or protocol precludes outdoor gatherings at St. Peter's Square, and has hosted papal catechesis sessions led by Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis. It serves as a site for ecumenical meetings involving figures such as the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, representatives of the Anglican Communion including the Archbishop of Canterbury, and leaders from Lutheran World Federation. The space has held liturgies, canonization ceremonies associated with the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, and lectures by scholars from institutions like Gregorian University and Pontifical Biblical Institute.
The hall contains a monumental bronze sculpture of Christ by Pericle Fazzini titled "La Resurrezione" installed behind the altar, a commission that drew commentary from critics and curators associated with museums such as the Vatican Museums and the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna. Interior decorative elements include mosaics and tapestries by artists connected to the Italian art scene of the 1960s and 1970s, and liturgical furnishings crafted by workshops with histories linked to commissions for Saint Peter's Basilica restorations. Conservation work has involved specialists from the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church and collaborations with conservation departments at institutions like Università di Roma La Sapienza.
The hall has received numerous heads of state, including envoys from United States, France, Germany, and formal visits by delegations from Japan, Brazil, and South Africa. Religious leaders who have spoken or attended events include the Dalai Lama, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, and the Chief Rabbi of Israel. Cultural figures and musicians have performed under agreements with organizations such as Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia and orchestras like the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. The venue has hosted international conferences on peace involving NGOs like Caritas Internationalis and academic symposia featuring scholars from Oxford University, Harvard University, and University of Notre Dame.
Located within Vatican City near Saint Peter's Square and accessible from the Vatican Museums route, the hall is reached via the Borgo Pio area and linked to security procedures coordinated with the Gendarmerie Corps of Vatican City State and the Prefecture of the Papal Household. Visitors commonly transit from Rome landmarks such as the Tiber (river), Castel Sant'Angelo, and Piazza San Pietro, and arrival logistics often involve collaboration with diplomatic missions accredited to the Holy See and tour operators licensed by the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church.
Category:Buildings and structures in Vatican City