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Tomb of Pope Urban VIII

The Tomb of Pope Urban VIII is a funerary monument commissioned by Pope Urban VIII from Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1628. It is located inside St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. The large composition is arranged on multiple levels and combines marble, gilded bronze, and wood in a bicromatic, mixed-material structure. The figures linked to death are made of dark materials or decorated with gold, while those associated with life are in white marble. At the top, the pope appears seated on a throne in a blessing pose. Below, two marble Virtues guard the tomb: Charity on the left and Justice on the right. Above the burial chamber, Death is shown as a skeleton writing the pope’s epitaph. A 2025 restoration removed the plaster veil added by censorship in 1850.

Tomb of Pope Urban VIII with a seated papal statue above allegorical figures and a sarcophagus
The Tomb of Pope Urban VIII in St. Peter’s Basilica, featuring a seated papal figure above allegorical statues and a sarcophagus.
April 2004 © · No restrictions
Tomb of Pope Urban VIII with a seated papal statue above an ornate sarcophagus, flanked by white marble allegorical figures.
The Tomb of Pope Urban VIII in Saint Peter’s Basilica, featuring Bernini’s seated papal figure above the elaborate marble monument.
© · Public domain
Bernini\'s Tomb of Pope Urban VIII, showing the seated pope above an ornate funerary monument with allegorical figures and a sarcophagus.
Tomb of Pope Urban VIII by Bernini, with the seated pope at the top of the elaborate marble monument.
© Rijksmuseum · CC0
Pen-and-ink drawing of the Tomb of Pope Urban VIII with a seated pope figure, sarcophagus, and reclining allegorical figures beneath an ornate arch
A drawing of the Tomb of Pope Urban VIII, showing the seated papal figure above a sarcophagus with allegorical figures below.
© Cotte, Robert de (1656-1735). Dessinateur · Public domain
Bernini’s Charity with Two Cherubs, a draped female figure holding a small body with another child-like figure at her side.
Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s Charity with Two Cherubs, a sketch for the tomb of Pope Urban VIII in St. Peter’s Basilica.
June 2022 © · CC0

Identification

TitleTomb of Pope Urban VIII
TypePapal tomb monument
Italian titleIl sepolcro di Urbano VIII

Historical context

HonoreePope Urban VIII
Papal reign of honoree1623–1644
Relation to other tombsOne of the 24 tombs of popes in St. Peter's Basilica
Opposite tombTomb of Pope Paul III, completed in 1575

Creator

ArtistGian Lorenzo Bernini
Commissioned byPope Urban VIII
Commission date1628
Date of execution1627–1647

Location and ownership

Current locationRight niche in the apse of St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, next to the Chair of Saint Peter

Physical characteristics

Right figureJustice
Lower figureDeath, a winged skeleton writing the pope's epitaph
Upper figurePope Urban VIII seated on a throne on a rich pedestal, with his right hand raised in a blessing gesture and the papal tiara on his head
Left figureCharity, nursing a child
Flanking figuresTwo marble Virtues guard the tomb
StructureImposing multi-level pyramidal composition

Materials

Main materialsMarble, bronze, gilded bronze, and wood

Appearance

Color schemeBichromatic: dark materials or gold decoration for elements linked to death, and white marble for elements linked to life
Heraldic decorationBees, the symbol of the Barberini family, decorate the papal throne

Iconography and meaning

Depiction of Urban VIIIShown as a confident, strong ruler
Interpretation of CharityDepicted as a woman breastfeeding or having just finished breastfeeding a child
Model for CharityCostanza Bonarelli, Bernini's lover

History and restoration

CensorshipIn 1850, a plaster veil was added to conceal Charity's breast
RestorationCompleted in 2025; the plaster veil added by the 1850 censorship was removed