Wojciech Rogacin – Vatican
The Foundation for the Renovation of the Barracks of the Pontifical Swiss Guard in the Vatican announced a positive opinion from the UN cultural agency regarding the renovation of the Vatican Guard barracks. Final approval from UNESCO should come soon.
The barracks serving the Swiss Guards will be thoroughly rebuilt, and the designs and preparatory work were carried out by Swiss institutions: the architectural firm Durisch + Nolli from Lugano, the engineering firm Schnetzer Puskas from Basel, and the engineering firm IFEC from Bellinzona, in close cooperation with the technical services of the Vatican City State.
Work will begin as soon as construction funding is secured.
New barracks – all guardsmen in the Vatican
According to the Foundation, the project envisages the almost complete demolition of the current barracks, retaining only the facade facing the Italian state, and freeing up the buildings standing in front of the Passetto di Borgo – an elevated escape route from the 11th century.
The new barracks will have five floors instead of the current three. There will be 81 single rooms and 18 double rooms, 11 studios for unmarried non-commissioned officers, and 21 apartments for families.
To save costs, it was decided that recruits would live in double rooms instead of single rooms. All of this will allow the entire Swiss Guard contingent to be housed in one building within the Vatican, whereas currently some of them are scattered throughout Rome.
The ground floor and basement will be designated for offices, common areas, and storage.
Revitalization of the “Swiss Quarter”
The project will also allow for the development of the barracks area, commonly known in the Vatican as the “Swiss Quarter”: the current buildings, architecturally uninteresting, will be replaced by modern, carefully designed buildings that will harmoniously blend into the surroundings.
Furthermore, the Passetto will be largely cleared of external influences, so that it can be seen in its entirety.
The memorial fountain from 1927, which until now blocked access to the honorary courtyard from Via Sant’Anna, will be moved and integrated into the barracks building near the Passetto.
This will restore the traditional route for pilgrims arriving from Switzerland and Northern Europe (Via Francigena), leading between the two barracks buildings and further to St. Peter’s Square through Porta Sancti Petri.
Higher budget for significant changes
Due to significant changes in the project compared to the original plans from 2019, as well as an increase in construction costs by 30 percent in Italy during this period, the investment budget will also be raised. Instead of the originally planned 45 million Swiss francs, the work will cost approximately 70 million francs – including a reserve for possible further cost increases.
The original project – as informed by the Foundation – envisaged the complete demolition of the buildings. Now, however, the barracks facade facing Italy will be preserved, which entails additional costs and construction delays (4 million francs). Additional work on foundation reinforcement and seismic protection adds another 2 million francs. The costs of renovating the Passetto are 1.25 million francs. The reserve for possible further cost increases alone is another 5 million francs.
In addition, there are previously unforeseen works on replacing the sewage system, relocating the fountain, and creating a ventilation and dehumidification system.
Work will not begin before 2027 and will take longer than anticipated. Completion is planned for 2029.
Savings and final budget
From the very beginning, the project was designed to be functional, not luxurious, to meet the current and future needs of the Guard. To make savings, it was decided to accommodate recruits in double rooms instead of single rooms, and the floors will be made of cement, not the more expensive travertine usually used in the Vatican.
