Where was “Conclave” filmed? Discover the film’s locations in Italy

Winner of the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay , “ Conclave ” has returned to the radar of viewers around the world due to its coincidences with real life. After all, the death of Pope Francis and the kickoff of the election of a new pontiff , which begins this Wednesday (7), occurred shortly after the film won one of the main awards in cinema.

On the day of the Pope's death, April 21, the film topped the ranking of most-watched productions on the Prime Video streaming platform in Brazil. The feature film even returned to theaters in some Brazilian cities after the death of the leader of the Catholic Church.

As its name suggests, “Conclave” portrays how a new pope is chosen and sheds light on the mysteries, rituals, traditions and, above all, the politics involved in the election of a new pope. Based on the book of the same name by writer Robert Harris, the film shows certain details that are true to reality, but is also touched by touches of fiction and suspense .

Where was “Conclave” filmed?

The film is set entirely in the Vatican, but in real life, nothing was filmed there. This is because the smallest country in the world does not allow filming on its premises, including St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel , which are among the most visited attractions in the world.

To recreate the Vatican, the production of “Conclave” made a choice: half of the scenes were filmed on sets built in the studio and half had passages filmed in historic buildings on the outskirts of Rome. The good news is that most of the external locations can be visited on a tour of the Eternal City .

Below, check out the main locations where “Conclave” was filmed:

Cinecittà Studios

Considered the heart of Italian cinema, Cinecittà Studios is one of the largest studios in Europe and has been the stage for productions such as “La Dolce Vita”, “Roman Romance”, “Ben-Hur” and “The Godfather III”.

In “Conclave,” the studio was used to recreate the Sistine Chapel and Casa Santa Marta, where the cardinals stay during the election of the pope in real life. The replica of the Sistine Chapel took 10 weeks to complete, according to Suzie Davies, who was responsible for the film’s production design, in an interview with Condé Nast Traveler.

Film lovers can visit the studio, which, in addition to tours of the film sets, offers exhibitions about the history of the place, a studio and a museum. Tickets start at 15 euros for a full ticket (around R$97).

Those who wish to visit the real Sistine Chapel must purchase tickets to theVatican Museums , as they are not sold separately. But be careful: during the conclave, the site is closed.

Royal Palace of Caserta

On the outskirts of Naples, in the Campania region, the Royal Palace of Caserta stands out in the landscape as a large Baroque building surrounded by gardens. It was commissioned by King Charles VII to be the administrative center of the new Kingdom of Naples. Today, the site houses a museum.

In the film, the wide corridors and works of art are used to create the atmosphere of the Vatican. The royal staircase also plays a prominent role in the set design – there are 116 marble steps in total. The staircase also appears at the beginning of the film “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace”.

A visit to the royal apartments, the royal garden and the English garden costs from 18 euros (around R$116). There are also separate tickets , such as just for the gardens or just for the royal apartments.

Villa Medici

Built high on the Pinciano Hill, Villa Medici offers some of the most stunning views of Rome and was used as a film set in “Conclave” largely because of its gardens. The 16th-century Renaissance villa is linked to the powerful Medici family of Florence and is now an artists’ residence, an arts center and a cultural heritage site.

The Villa Medici can be identified in the film in the scene where Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) returns a turtle to the small lake.

Tickets for the current exhibition cost 10 euros for a full ticket (around R$64). Guided tours of the property cost 14 euros (R$90) and last 1h30.

Palazzo Barberini

The gilded room where Cardinal Lawrence delivers a speech at the beginning of the film is located in the Palazzo Barberini in Rome. Built in the 17th century for the Barberini family, the Baroque palazzo houses a museum, which is one of the branches of the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica.

There are Italian and European paintings, mainly from the 13th to the 18th century. Admission to the current exhibition, which focuses on Caravaggio, costs 18 euros (about R$116). A visit to the Palazzo combined with another property, the Corsini Gallery, costs 15 euros (R$97).

The Santo Spirito Hospital

Considered one of the oldest hospitals in Europe, L'Ospedale di Santo Spirito , in Rome, is today a complex that brings together a church, palazzo and library.

In the film, you can see the Doric and Ionic columns on the outside of the Palazzo del Commendatore when the cardinals arrive for the conclave. The scene where the cardinals are seen smoking was also filmed there.

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