The Pope has inaugurated a huge and controversial car park built in the Vatican.

It has been nicknamed God's Garage, and can hold over 800 cars and buses.

The five-storey structure has been built underneath the Gianicolo Hill on the edge of Vatican City.

It cost 80 billion lire to build - just over $40m. The cost is to be split between the Vatican and the Italian Government.

At the inauguration, the Pope expressed his satisfaction with the finished work.

"I express my vivid pleasure at a work that offers great advantages for the city without damaging the renowned view from the Giancolo Hill, and I join you all in thanking the Lord for it," he said.

Controversial car park

Archaeologists and environmentalists have been opposed to the building of the car park because it sliced through the ruins of an ancient frescoed villa.

They accused the Vatican and city authorities of underplaying the importance of the discoveries made during the construction.

They said the frescoes come from one of ancient Rome's most important treasures, the villa of Emperor Nero's mother Agrippina.

The frescoes were removed to prevent damage, but the controversy blew up in early December when fragments of Second Century mosaics and ceramics were found dumped on a rubbish tip on the outskirts of Rome.

A cabinet under-secretary in Rome had said that the archaeological remains would be protected.

The mayor of Rome dismissed the protests and warned that traffic problems would worsen without the new car park.