You probably think of the Sistine Chapel when you imagine a new Pope being picked. It makes sense. We’ve all seen the news footage of that tiny chimney and the white smoke billowing out over St. Peter’s Square. Michelangelo’s frescoes of the Last Judgment staring down at a bunch of nervous guys in red hats—it’s iconic.
But honestly? The history of papal conclave event locations is way messier and more chaotic than the polished Vatican PR makes it look today. For centuries, the "conclave"—which literally means cum clave or "with a key"—didn't even have a fixed home. Popes have been elected in crumbling palaces, French abbeys, and even a monastery in Venice while Rome was being sacked.
The Longest Vote in History (and Why They Locked the Doors)
Before the Sistine Chapel became the go-to spot in 1492, things were wild. The whole reason the "conclave" exists—the practice of locking cardinals in a room until they pick someone—started because of a massive deadlock in Viterbo.
After Pope Clement IV died in 1268, the cardinals just couldn’t agree. They sat around for nearly three years. The locals in Viterbo finally got so fed up with the bill for the cardinals' wine and food that they took drastic measures. They literally locked the doors of the Palazzo dei Papi. When that didn't work? They ripped the roof off the building to let the rain in.
They basically told the cardinals, "Pick a Pope or get wet." It worked. Gregory X was elected in 1271, and he immediately made "being locked in" a law so it would never happen again. This makes the Viterbo palace one of the most significant historical papal conclave event locations outside of Rome.
When the Papacy Moved to France
Most people forget that for a good chunk of the 14th century, the Pope didn't even live in Italy. This was the "Avignon Papacy." During this time, the Palais des Papes in Avignon, France, became the center of the Catholic world.
It’s a massive, fortress-like castle that looks more like a military bunker than a church. Seven successive popes were elected there. If you visit today, you can still see the scale of the place—it’s enormous. It was a weird era where the French kings basically had the papacy on a leash, and the conclaves held there reflected that political tension.
Secret Spots and Emergency Elections
Sometimes, Rome was just too dangerous. In 1799, Napoleon’s troops had basically taken over the city. Pope Pius VI died as a prisoner in France, and the cardinals had to scramble to find a safe place to meet.
They didn't go to the Vatican. They went to Venice. Specifically, they met at the Monastery of San Giorgio Maggiore. It’s that beautiful church on the island right across from St. Mark’s Square. Imagine the scene: 34 cardinals huddled on an island in the Venetian lagoon, trying to keep the Church alive while the French army was prowling around. That was the last time a conclave was held outside of Rome.
Why the Sistine Chapel Isn't Everything
Even after the papacy returned to Rome for good, the Sistine Chapel wasn't always the venue. For a long time, the Quirinal Palace—which is now the residence of the President of Italy—was the preferred spot. It was higher up, the air was better (less malaria, which was a real thing in Rome back then), and it was more comfortable.
Between 1823 and 1846, four different popes were elected at the Quirinal. If you walk through Rome today, you can see the balcony where they used to announce the new Pope. It wasn't until the Italian government seized the Quirinal in 1870 that the Church retreated behind the Vatican walls for good.
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Modern Comforts: The Domus Sanctae Marthae
Nowadays, the "event" part of papal conclave event locations is split. While the voting happens in the Sistine Chapel, the cardinals don't actually sleep there anymore.
Up until 1996, they had to sleep on temporary cots in the halls of the Apostolic Palace. It was miserable. There were stories of elderly cardinals sharing one bathroom and dealing with stifling heat. Pope John Paul II finally said "enough" and built the Domus Sanctae Marthae. It’s basically a high-end hotel inside the Vatican.
The cardinals sleep in actual beds, eat in a dining hall, and then commute—yes, they take a bus or walk—over to the Sistine Chapel to cast their ballots.
Key Locations to Visit If You're a History Nerd:
- Palazzo dei Papi (Viterbo, Italy): See the room where the roof was literally torn off.
- Palais des Papes (Avignon, France): A massive Gothic fortress that hosted the papacy for 70 years.
- San Giorgio Maggiore (Venice, Italy): The island monastery that saved the 1800 election.
- The Quirinal Palace (Rome, Italy): The "other" Vatican where popes lived and were elected for centuries.
- Sistine Chapel (Vatican City): The current, and likely permanent, home of the vote.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception is that the conclave is just about prayer. It’s actually a logistical nightmare. Every time a conclave starts, the Vatican has to sweep the Sistine Chapel for bugs (the electronic kind). They install jamming devices so no one can tweet from their phone. They have to set up two different stoves—one for the ballots and one for the chemicals that make the smoke white or black.
The location isn't just a backdrop; it’s a high-security vault.
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If you're planning a trip to see these spots, remember that the Sistine Chapel closes to the public the second a Pope dies or resigns. You can’t just waltz in. However, the locations in Viterbo and Avignon are open year-round and honestly offer a much grittier look at how the Church survived some of its darkest days.
If you're heading to Rome to see the Vatican, make sure to book your tickets for the Vatican Museums at least two months in advance. To see the "forgotten" conclave sites, take the regional train from Rome to Viterbo—it’s a two-hour trip that takes you straight into the heart of 13th-century drama. For the Venice site, take the Vaporetto Line 2 to the San Giorgio stop; the view of the city from the bell tower there is arguably better than the one from St. Mark's.