As opposed to his successor, he was not interested in literature, did not know Latin, while education did not matter to him much. He preferred parties, feasts and luxury. He was known for his weakness towards precious stones, beautiful, mainly pink robes, but most of all carnival parties. These included (cultivated for ages) races, organized along the via Lata (present-day via del Corso) to Piazza del Popolo, which ended at the balcony of the pope’s palace (Palazzo Venezia). All beings with legs – children, the elderly and the young, but also animals, including cattle, horses and donkeys – ran to the finish. Another form of the pope’s amusement was equestrian competitions, which also took place in the same location. The victors, including the owners of the fastest animals, received from the pope a coin minted in his honor or exquisite fabrics, as a reward. Yet another form of entertainment was the humiliating race of the Jewish inhabitants of the city – who to the joy of the populace – were forced to take part in a similar   competition which had nothing to do with sport. The pope looked on with approval from his palace as if from a skybox, at the Bacchic parades with figures dressed up as Greek gods, heroes and nymphs. During the annual feasts organized after the competitions for the most prominent Romans, he also did not forget about the beggars and the homeless, who were allowed to eat the leftovers. In this way Paul II was the perfect embodiment of an ancient Roman ruler, desiring to provide the Roman populace with games and bread. He also did not forget about the generously handed out alms for the poor. All these gestures aroused sympathy and added to his popularity among the people. However, it was just the opposite with Roman humanists and intellectuals, who not only criticized him, but even conspired against him. Thus Bartolomeo Palatina was imprisoned, while Filippo Buonaccorsi (Callimachus), a scientist, fled Rome, to live out his life in distant Poland.

In opposition to his predecessor, who dreamed of conquering the Turks, Paul II after the difficulties he encountered in organizing a crusade, set out more pragmatic goals for himself: struggle against banditry and the subjugation of the Roman wealthy families, who constantly fought against one another. For this purpose he utilized severe punishments, such as excommunication, exile and removal from office.

A symbol of this pope’s strength and significance was his imposing residence (Palazzo Venezia), which after he had assumed the post of the bishop of Rome was continually expanded and enlarged. At his initiative an imposing for those times garden was also created, surrounded by a courtyard (Palazzetto). In the palace itself representative and audience halls as well as private chambers were built. The palace served the pope until 1469, when a conspiracy against his life and fear of murder, caused him to move to the Vatican, entrusting the building to his nepot – Marco Barbo. Prior to that happening, Paul II also took care to appropriately decorate the façade of the Church of San Marco, neighboring the palace. An impressive, still existing today loggia was added (Loggia of Blessings), from which the pope greeted the crowds during official occasions.

When Paul II died, the populace mourned his passing. Initially he was buried in the old St. Peter’s Basilica (San Pietro in Vaticano), where his nephew, the aforementioned Cardinal Marco Barbo, funded a magnificent funerary monument for him, with the lying figure of the pope – the work of Giovanni Dalmata i Mino da Fiesole. After the construction of the new basilica, the pope’s tomb was transferred to the Vatican Grottoes, where it is still found today.