Slideshow: The Evolution of the PopeMobile

This has to be one of the coolest posts ever. I love the popemobile, and was thrilled to find out someone has scoured the internet for photos and information about them, through the years. A good example:

"The 300D Landaulet was the first new Popemobile in thirty years, with Mercedes spanning the gap during the tumultuous period. The 300D was stretched some 450 mm, with hard top up front and soft top in the rear layout of the Landaulet body style allowing El Papa to take in the sunshine and wave to the crowds. This car retained the single-throne seat setup in the rear, but added amenities like air conditioning and a two-way radio to the driver."

More popemobile goodness here.

Graphic: Map of NYC Popemobile route

On Saturday, April 19th at 1:15pm Pope Benedict will exit St. Patrick's Cathedral and undertake a one-mile trip up 5th Avenue in the Popemobile to 72nd Street, for the public to see him and receive his blessing.

{Here} is a Google map with the path shown, as well as areas closed to the public.

You can also see my Google map of his Washington DC routes {Here}.

I will add more details to the map when they are made available. Security will be tight.

DC Popemobile routes finalized - here they are!

The goods from the USCCB media relations office:

April 16: After the pope’s visit at the White House, around noon, the pope will travel in the popemobile to the Vatican Embassy on Massachusetts Avenue. From the White House, the route will follow Pennsylvania Avenue to Washington Circle. From there, the motorcade will head toward Massachusetts Avenue through Rock Creek Parkway, to the residence located across from the U.S. Naval Observatory.

The public generally can see the pope from the sidewalks throughout the route. Sidewalks immediately in front of the White House and Lafayette Park, directly across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House, will be closed to the public. Washington Circle also will be closed as a viewing location.

Later that day, at approximately 4:15 p.m., the pope will board the popemobile for a second motorcade from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops offices, 3211 4th Street, NE, to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Michigan Avenue, where he will meet with the U.S. bishops. The public can see the pope along this route from the west side of 4th Street, NE and from the south side of Michigan Avenue in front of and across the Street from the Shrine.

April 17: A third opportunity to see Pope Benedict will be on the campus of The Catholic University of America, as he travels across campus to the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center to meet with faith leaders from many religions. Access to viewing areas on Catholic University’s campus is available only through tickets that the University has made available through local church-sponsored Catholic organizations. Tickets are available in blocks of 50 or more only to local Catholic Church-sponsored organizations (including parishes). Submissions for blocks of tickets must be sent no later than Thursday, April 10, to papalvisit@cua.edu . Name, address and affiliation are required.

update: I've created a special graphic map with Google that has the times, routes, areas closed to the public, and my suggested prime viewing locations of the popemobile. Find it here, with my comments.

Photo: The Popemobile arrives!

"The Mercedes Benz "Popemobile" is transported on a flatbed truck along interstate 295 near the Delaware Memorial Bridge near Wilmington, Delaware April 2, 2008. Pope Benedict will meet top U.S. Catholic educators on April 17. - REUTERS/John Randolph (UNITED STATES)"

So ... did anyone spot it en route?

Pope trip: Popemobile en route to U.S., will arrive by early April

Where the Popemobile goes, the Pope follows.

.... and the popemobile is on its way!

While Pope Benedict XVI probably has not begun packing his bags for his April 15-20 trip to the United States, one big Vatican package was prepared just after Easter.

The white, 2002 Mercedes-Benz popemobile has left the Vatican and will be delivered by an air cargo company in the first days of April, said Alberto Gasbarri, the chief organizer of papal trips. (CNS)

The Vatican currently has three popemobiles. The specifications for the one the pope will use in America:

A modified version of the Mercedes-Benz ML430 off-road vehicle. Its "glass" top is a cube made of advanced, bulletproof plastic and the vehicle features a high seat so the pope can still be visible.

Here is a picture of the pope using this model during his trip to Brazil (with the window down!).

A little backstory:

An official in the Vatican motor pool said there really was not a choice to make between the two ML430s since "one is in the repair shop."

Mercedes-Benz originally delivered one of the vehicles with a "mother of pearl" tint, but the Vatican decided it was too gray, and so repainted it, the motor pool official said.

Related previous posts:

• 3/17/08: "Popemobile routes for upcoming U.S. visit revealed"
• 12/6/07: "Photos: New Mercedes-Benz Popemobile debuts" (Vatican-use only)
• 11/26/06: "Popemobile gives way to armoured car on visit to 'minefield'"

[photo: AP Photo/Victor Caivano, File]