One Hundred Years of Popemobiles: An Exhibition at the Vatican Museums

One Hundred Years of Popemobiles: An Exhibition at the Vatican Museums

Vatican City

A century of history, apostolic journeys, and technological advances in the service of the Church. These are the themes of the exhibition One Century of Popemobiles, which opens today, 29 October, in the Giardino Quadrato of the Vatican Museums and can be visited until 31 January 2027.

The exhibition offers a journey through the evolution of the vehicles used by the popes, from the first ceremonial automobiles to today's popemobiles. Through eight historic Mercedes-Benz vehicles, visitors can discover how the automobile has moved from being a symbol of papal solemnity to becoming a means of bringing the Pope closer to the faithful. The exhibition also includes the first automobile in history and a modern Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

A Pastoral Function

The popemobile is much more than a means of transport: it is an expression of the relationship between the Pope and the faithful. This was explained by Sandro Barbagallo, head of the Historical Collections of the Vatican Museums, during the inaugural conference held on Wednesday, 28 October. Its function, he stressed, is essentially pastoral: "To allow the Pope, as he moves through the streets, to greet and bless the faithful, drawing close to them."

As Barbara Jatta, Director of the Pontifical Collections, notes in the exhibition catalogue, "the automobile, initially conceived to facilitate travel, also becomes a space of encounter and an instrument that allows the Pontiff to be seen, to greet, to bless, and to establish a direct bond with those who gather along his route."

For his part, Marcus Breitschwerdt, head of Mercedes-Benz Heritage, highlighted the historical breadth of the exhibition: "It is a broad period that is well worth presenting, and it reflects how we create mobility solutions for the present, the past, and the future."

An Ethical Responsibility

Mercedes-Benz management emphasized that manufacturing a vehicle for the Vatican requires considerable technological effort to guarantee the highest standards of comfort and safety. However, the challenge goes far beyond technical innovation: it involves, above all, a great ethical responsibility.

As Langenbrinck noted, the vehicle not only carries the Pope from one place to another, but also helps bring him closer to millions of people. In a sense, the popemobile brings the Pontiff into the homes of "the entire Christian community."

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