A Jacobite Gazetteer - The Vatican

Tomb of Queen Clementina


Tomb of Queen Clementina
Tomb of Queen Clementina

At her death in 1735, the body of Queen Clementina (widow of King James III and VIII) was placed in the crypt of St. Peter's Basilica. In 1745, however, it was moved to a spot in the spiral staircase to the roof and the dome immediately behind the monument which had been erected to Clementina's memory in the basilica.

To see the tomb one must purchase a ticket for the dome, climb to the roof either by stairs (entrance fee L7,000) or elevator (entrance fee L8,000), and then descend by the long spiral ramp (not the elevator) almost back to the level of the nave of the basilica. The tomb is located only one revolution of the spiral ramp/staircase above the nave, but it is not possible to enter from that end and ascend to the tomb.

The black sarcophagus is placed in a shallow painted niche. On the front of the sarcophagus is a Latin inscription:


CORPVS
MARIAE CLEMENTINAE MAGNAE BRITANNIAE REGINAE
XV. KAL. FEBRVAR. MDCCXXXV
AETATIS SVAE XXXIII. ET. MENS. VI. DEFVNCTAE
IN HVIVS BASILICAE CRYPTIS POSITVM
HVC DIE XXII. MENSIS IANVARII ANNO MDCCXLV
TRANSLATVM ET RECONDITVM EST.

The body
of Maria Clementina, Queen of Great Britain
who on January 12, 1735
died at the age of 33 [years] and six months,
having been placed in the crypt of this basilica
was here on January 22, 1745,
moved and replaced.


Notes

Image 1 (Tomb of Queen Clementina): © Noel S. McFerran 2001.


This page is maintained by Noel S. McFerran (noel.mcferran@rogers.com) and was last updated November 8, 2003.
© Noel S. McFerran 2000-2003.