Exhibition at Vatican Museums traces the history of papal travel through eight historic Mercedes-Benz vehicles.A new exhibition tracing a century of papal motoring opened at the Vatican Museums on Thursday, bringing together eight historic Mercedes-Benz vehicles used by popes since 1930.  Un secolo di Papamobile (A Century of the Popemobile) is housed in a glass pavilion in the Square Garden or Giardino Quadrato, near the Carriage Pavilion and the Vatican Picture Gallery. It runs until 31 January 2027.The exhibition was presented on Wednesday at the Vatican Museums. Beforehand, Pope Leo XIV met senior Mercedes-Benz executives and said the popemobile is a means of bringing the pope closer to the faithful, news agency ANSA reported.   The eight vehicles are displayed alongside the first car in history, Carl Benz’s Patent-Motorwagen of 1886, and a modern S-Class.The story of the collaboration between the carmaker and the Holy See began in 1930, when Pope Pius XI was given a Mercedes-Benz Nürburg 460, a Pullman limousine that became the first car regularly used by a pontiff.   Later models include the 300 d Landaulet delivered in 1960 under John XXIII, and the 600 Pullman Landaulet given to Paul VI in 1965. A landaulet has a folding rear roof, allowing the pope to be seen by crowds. The exhibition also covers the 1967 300 SEL Pullman and the 230 G, developed for John Paul II’s 1980 visit to Germany. The G-Class vehicle, with its raised seat and transparent dome, is regarded as the first true popemobile, and later models were based on the G-Class and M-Class. Sandro Barbagallo, curator of the Vatican Museums’ historical collections, said the vehicle’s function is pastoral, allowing the pope to greet and bless people along the route. Barbara Jatta, director of the Vatican Museums, wrote in the catalogue that the car has become a space for encounter as well as a means of transport. Marc Langenbrinck, president of Mercedes-Benz Italia, described it as an honour to have served pontiffs for almost a century. Marcus Breitschwerdt, head of Mercedes-Benz Heritage, said building a vehicle for the Vatican carries significant ethical responsibility as well as technical demands. A catalogue accompanies the show, produced by Mercedes-Benz Italia with ANSA, whose archive photographs of popes and their cars illustrate the book. Entry to the exhibition is free with a Vatican Museums ticket, and opening hours follow those of the museums. Tickets should be booked through the official website. Photo credit: SPORT PRESS MEDIA / Shutterstock.com

Photo credit: SPORT PRESS MEDIA / Shutterstock.com