St. Peter's Square
AA-2026-26EF7F
On the image
A horse-drawn carriage, the kind tourists pay extra for to feel connected to history, makes its way across St. Peter's Square in the 1970s. The passengers, three young adults, seem to be enjoying the unique experience of being slightly elevated above the regular automotive traffic.
Meanwhile, a Fiat 127, a pinnacle of practical 1970s engineering, zips by, covering distance with far greater efficiency. This contrast highlights the peculiar human desire to occasionally pretend modernity doesn't exist, especially when on vacation.
The driver, presumably a local, has likely navigated this exact blend of ancient tradition and contemporary exhaust fumes hundreds of times, mastering the art of looking picturesque while silently calculating the next fare. It is a tableau of tourism, where performance and perception often outweigh practicality.
The historian's note
This photograph captures St. Peter's Square in Vatican City during the 1970s, featuring St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Obelisk. The scene illustrates typical tourist activity of the era, with a traditional horse-drawn carriage, known in Rome as a *botticella*, sharing the public space with automobiles.
The presence of period-appropriate vehicles, such as the white Fiat 127, helps to firmly date the image to the 1970s. Such carriages were a popular, if anachronistic, way for visitors to experience the historic sites of Rome and Vatican City.
The photograph documents a moment in time when historical modes of transport coexisted with modern traffic in a significant European landmark, highlighting the evolving urban landscape and tourism practices.
Subjects & keywords — each links to a search
Visually related — by likeness
St. Peter's Square Horse Carriage, Vatican City, 1970s. 1970–1979. Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library, AA-2026-26EF7F. https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/st-peter-s-square-horse-carriage-vatican-city-1970s.
@misc{aaAA202626EF7F,
title = {St. Peter's Square Horse Carriage, Vatican City, 1970s},
year = {1970–1979},
howpublished = {Archive \& Atlas, Historical Image Library},
note = {Accession AA-2026-26EF7F},
url = {https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/st-peter-s-square-horse-carriage-vatican-city-1970s}
}TY - ART TI - St. Peter's Square Horse Carriage, Vatican City, 1970s PY - 1970–1979 PB - Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library AN - AA-2026-26EF7F UR - https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/st-peter-s-square-horse-carriage-vatican-city-1970s ER -
From the community
Identifications, corrections, and discussion from readers — reviewed by a librarian before appearing here.
Sign in to add an identification, correction, or comment.
No notes yet — be the first to add what you know about this image.