Heritage Under Glass: From the Papal “Stoves” to the Contemporary Greenhouses

At the heart of the Vatican Gardens, the art of protecting nature has deep roots in a centuries-old tradition. Since the eighteenth century, with the first “stufe” or stoves— early heated greenhouse like structures designed for keeping exotic plant collections — and the orangeries for citrus trees, these spaces have never been merely technical shelters. For many Pontiffs, from Clement XI to Leo XIII and Pius XI, they were genuine oases where one could stroll, even in winter, among the natural scents of what was known as the Garden of Simplicity. Over time, these buildings evolved alongside construction techniques, progressing from the earliest masonry structures to the iron-and-glass buildings of the early twentieth century, and finally to today’s ecological conversions. Today, the greenhouses continue to be the botanical heart of the Vatican State, bringing together tradition and sustainability.