Apart from relevant administrative and legal reforms, establishment of the papal bank (San Spirito), secret Vatican archives, arrangement of areas inside the city, regulating the riverbed of the constantly flooding Tiber, and the reconstruction of the waterworks, his desire was to elevate the artistic renown of the Holy See, thus also elevating the position of the pope himself. In order to accomplish this Paul V, focused on three significant architectural structures. The first of these was the still unfinished Basilica of San Pietro in Vaticano, the second the papal residence on Quirinal Hill (Palazzo del Quirinale), which he intended to expand, the third – the monumental place of burial, which he planned to erect for himself and his family. This last one, was to be located not as tradition would have it in the Vatican Basilica, but rather in the pope’s favorite church, where as a 25-year old he was elevated to the rank of vicar, meaning the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. In these construction undertakings he was aided by three architects: Flaminio Ponzio, Giovanni Sanzio and Carlo Maderno. From among the group of painters who continually worked to complete the pope’s commissions, the greatest esteem was probably enjoyed by Guido Reni, then Domenichino, Giovanni Lanfranco and Francesco Albani. They were the ones that set the tone for the then Roman painting and its representative, monumental version.

At the very beginning of his pontificate the pope had elevated his nephew, the 26-year old Scipione Caffarelli (Scipione Borghese) to the function of papal nepot, while he provided the pontiff with numerous reasons to be proud but also problems of moral nature. Paul V also undertook several controversial steps. One of these was putting an interdict on the Republic of Venice for objecting to the will of the pope. This was the last act of such kind in the history of the Church, which in time was also abandoned by Paul V himself. Another deed, which is strictly associated with his name is putting the work of Nicholas Copernicus, De revolutionibus orbium coelestium on the Index of Forbidden Books.

The pope died due to a brain hemorrhage and was buried in a chapel, prepared with great effort and financial means, in the aforementioned Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.

As opposed to his predecessors and successors, Paul V did not immortalize himself too often. One of his portraits, completed in small mosaic is found in the Galleria Borghese museum. Another, quite a bit more representative, depicting the pope in full figure (seated), is attributed to both Caravaggio, as well as another painter, Ottavio Leoni (Galleria Borghese). There is also a papal bust, completed by the outstanding Gian Lorenzo Bernini (Galleria Borghese).

Some of the buildings and artistic structures created at the initiative of Paul V:

•     Completion of the construction of St. Peter’s Basilica (1612) by Carlo Maderno; inscription on the  façade as well as the family coat of arms (eagle and dragon) immortalize this deed of the pope and his input into it.
•     Posthumous chapel in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore (Cappella Paolina)
•     In order to emphasize the status of the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, directly opposite its façade a Corinthian column taken out from the Basilica of Maxentius was placed, on which a statue of the Virgin Mary was put up after some time.
•     Construction of the east wing of the Palazzo del Quirinale and the adaptation of the southern one, which served the pope for official and representative purposes (Sala Regia, Cappella Paolina and Cappella dell’Annunziata); inside there are frescoes by among others, Guido Reni, Giovanni Lanfranco and Carlo Saraceni.
•     Paul V also entrusted Giovanni Lanfranco with the completion of an altarpiece of one of the chapels of the Quirinal Palace – Madonna with Child Appearing to St. Lawrence (1617).
•     In honor of the reconstruction of the former Aqueduct of Trajan, enabling the supply of water into the Trastevere district, the pope ordered an enormous fountain (Fontana dell’Acqua Paola) to be constructed on Janiculum Hill in 1612.