Who was Alexander VI
Rodrigo Borgia was born in 1431 in Xàtiva, Spain, from a Valencian family of rank. A nephew of Pope Callixtus III (himself a Borgia), he was made a cardinal at 25 and became one of the most powerful cardinals of the fifteenth century before being elected pope in 1492 as Alexander VI.
The pontificate of Alexander VI (1492–1503) coincides with some of the foundational events of modern history: that same year saw Columbus's discovery of the Americas, the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) dividing the world between Spain and Portugal, the invasion of Charles VIII in 1494, and the descent of French troops on Rome.
Alexander VI had fathered several children before becoming pope: among them Cesare Borgia (the model for Machiavelli's Prince) and Lucrezia Borgia, whose black legend — poisoner, incestuous — has never found serious historical confirmation, yet prospered through the centuries.
Why the apartments remained sealed
On the death of Alexander VI in 1503, the apartments were abandoned. His successor Julius II — who despised the Borgias — categorically refused to live in them, choosing the spaces above (which became the Raphael Rooms). Pinturicchio's rooms remained closed for nearly four centuries.
It was only in 1889 that Pope Leo XIII reopened them, and subsequently John XXIII housed the Collection of Modern Religious Art there, which still occupies them today: over 800 works of modern and contemporary sacred art, from Matisse to Dalí to Morandi.
Pinturicchio's decoration
Pinturicchio (Bernardino di Betto, 1452–1513) had already worked in the Sistine Chapel — in the series of frescoes on the lateral walls — before receiving the commission for the Borgia Apartments. His style is characterised by ornamental richness: golden backgrounds, embroidered fabrics, fantastical architectures, elegant but non-monumental figures.
The decoration of the apartments unfolds across six rooms, each with a distinct theme.
The six rooms
Room of the Sibyls (I)
The lunette ceiling with sibyls and prophets alternates Christian and pagan tradition: sibyls announcing the coming of Christ alongside biblical prophets. The vault is divided into decorative sections with candelabra motifs, vivid colours and abundant gold.
Room of the Creed (II)
Twelve apostles flanked by an equal number of Old Testament prophets: each pair carries a phrase from the Apostles' Creed and a corresponding Old Testament prophecy. A rigorous theological scheme, characteristic of late fifteenth-century humanist thought.
Room of the Liberal Arts (III)
The seven liberal arts of the Trivium and Quadrivium (grammar, rhetoric, dialectic, arithmetic, geometry, music, astronomy) are personified as enthroned female figures. The architectural backgrounds reveal Pinturicchio's knowledge of Renaissance perspective, though less rigorous than Piero della Francesca's.
Room of the Saints (IV) — the most important
The Room of the Saints is the heart of the Borgia decoration and contains Pinturicchio's masterworks in these apartments:
The Disputation of Saint Catherine: the saint disputes with philosophers before Emperor Maximinus. The figure of Maximinus is traditionally identified as a portrait of Alfonso of Aragon, Lucrezia's first husband. The figure of Saint Catherine — refined, with a golden crown, dressed in red and blue — is unanimously identified as a portrait of Lucrezia Borgia. If the identification is correct, this is the only certain portrait of Lucrezia in her lifetime.
The Visitation: Mary visiting Elizabeth, set in a landscape with fantastical architectures. One of the best-preserved frescoes in the room.
Susanna and the Elders: an Old Testament episode.
The Martyrdom of Saint Barbara: featuring one of Pinturicchio's most elaborate architectural settings.
On the triumphal arch of the room: the Borgia bull — the family's heraldic symbol — supports a shield and looks down from above. The animal recurs throughout the decoration of the apartments.
Room of the Mysteries of the Faith (V)
This room contains the most historically significant image in the apartments: the Resurrection of Christ. In the lower register of the fresco, at the lower left, a man in a white mantle witnesses the Resurrection. This is the portrait of Alexander VI — the only certainly identifiable authentic portrait of the pope.
The face is that of an elderly man, white-haired, with an alert expression. Alexander VI was about 60 years old when Pinturicchio was painting the Resurrection.
Room of the Popes (VI)
The room was decorated with a cycle of the popes who preceded Alexander VI, along with figures of planets and zodiac signs. The cycle was partly repainted in the seventeenth century. The ceiling preserves some of the best-preserved stucco work with Arabesque motifs in the apartments (attributed to the influence of the Valencian masters Alexander VI brought from Spain).
The Collection of Modern Religious Art
Since 1973, the six rooms of the Borgia Apartments have housed the Collection of Modern Religious Art, conceived by Paul VI as a way of repairing the relationship between the Church and contemporary art. The over 800 works include:
- Henri Matisse: preparatory cartoons for the stained glass of the Vence Chapel
- Salvador Dalí: works on religious themes
- Giorgio Morandi: still lifes
- Giacomo Manzù: sculptures
- Marc Chagall: etchings on biblical themes
The Collection is installed in the Borgia rooms without altering Pinturicchio's decorations: modern works coexist with Renaissance frescoes in an unusual temporal juxtaposition.
How to reach the Borgia Apartments
The Borgia Apartments lie along the standard Vatican Museums route, in the sequence preceding the Raphael Rooms. No separate booking is required: they are included in the standard ticket. Most visitors pass through them quickly, chasing the flow toward the Sistine Chapel.
Visiting with a private driver
The Borgia Apartments are inside the Vatican Museums: the access route is the same — Viale Vaticano, main entrance.
Reach the Vatican Museums at opening with a private driver to visit the Borgia Apartments before the midday crowd. Service from €49. → Book your driver at myromedriver.com
Frequently asked questions
Was Lucrezia Borgia really as tradition portrays her? Most historians contest the black legend. Accusations of poisoning, incest and murder circulated in her lifetime, but were largely propaganda from the Borgias' enemies (the Della Rovere and Sforza in particular). Lucrezia Borgia became the Lady of Ferrara from 1501, where she governed brilliantly for decades and died in 1519.
Is the portrait of Alexander VI in the Resurrection the only authentic one? It is the most certainly authenticated. Contemporary medals and engravings exist, but this is the only painted portrait made during his pontificate with certain identification.
Do the Borgia Apartments require a separate ticket? No. They are included in the standard Vatican Museums route (€17–21).
Is this the same Pinturicchio who worked in the Piccolomini Library in Siena? Yes. Pinturicchio executed the frescoes in the Piccolomini Library in Siena between 1503 and 1508, immediately after completing the Borgia Apartments.
Why is the modern art collection housed in the Borgia Apartments rather than elsewhere? The choice was intentional: Paul VI wanted modern art to be physically integrated into the great cycles of the Vatican's artistic tradition, rather than in a separate neutral space.
Article no. 34 — TIER S — MON-02 Vatican Museums + Sistine Chapel Type: HISTORY Words: ~2,400