Stato della Città del Vaticano
A Visit to the Vatican Gardens
L'Eliporto
Along the ilex avenue that leads on from here to the French Garden you will be struck by the strong scent of the flowers and wood of the majestic camphor tree (Cinnamomum glanduliferum Meissn.). Beyond this Garden lies the heliport built under Pope Paul VI (Giovanni Battista Montini, 1963-1978) which Roman Pontiffs now regularly use when going on their numerous pastoral journeys. The heliport has been placed under the protection of the Black Madonna of Czestochowa depicted here in a bronze image. From here one can admire the great open space of the French Garden, by strolling along the red rock paths lined with ancient terracotta pots adorned with the papal coat of arms and filled with stunning azaleas (Rhododendron L. sp.). Placed here is a dug-in water cistern which can hold up to eight million litres of water necessary for irrigation, filling up the fountains and an anti-fire precaution of the Gardens. Surrounding this area are some rare trees. Among these are: an Australian silk-oak (Grevillea robusta A.Cunn.), two very tall examples of dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu & Cheng.), an olive tree donated by the State of Israel to mark the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Holy See, and a wide variety of other trees donated over the years by different delegations visiting the Holy Father