Palazzo del Quirinale

Lonely Planet review

Flanking Piazza del Quirinale, this immense palazzo served as the papal summer residence for almost three centuries until the keys were handed over, begrudgingly and staring down the barrel of a gun, to Italy's new king in 1870. It was passed on to the president of the Republic in 1948.

Pope Gregory XIII (r 1572-85) originally chose the site for his holiday home and over the course of the next 150 years the top architects of the day worked on it: Domenico Fontana designed the main façade; Carlo Maderno designed the chapel; and Bernini was responsible for the manica lunga (long sleeve), the long, surprisingly austere wing that runs the length of Via del Quirinale. The palazzo is open to the public on Sunday mornings, when there is sometimes a free concert in the Cappella Paolina.

On the other side of the piazza, the palace's former stables, the Scuderie Papali al Quirinale (06 69 62 70; www.scuderiequirinale.it; Via XXIV Maggio 16), is now a magnificent exhibition space.