Architectural, Cultural sights in Rome
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Casa di Goethe
Close to the Piazza del Popolo is the modest, lovingly maintained Casa di Goethe, where the German writer had a whale of a time between 1786 and 1788. Its collection includes his drawings and etchings from the period as well as interesting souvenirs of his stay.
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Villa Farnesina
A must for fans of Renaissance art, this gorgeous 16th-century villa features some awe-inspiring frescoes by Sebastiano del Piombo, Raphael and the villa’s original architect, Baldassare Peruzzi. Peruzzi was commissioned to build the villa by the powerful banker Agostino Chigi but in 1577 bankruptcy forced the Chigis to sell it to the Farnese family, after whom it is named. The most famous frescoes are in the Loggia of Cupid and Psyche on the ground floor. Although they are generally attributed to Raphael, the great man did little more than design the frescoes for his assistants to paint. Apparently he was so besotted with his mistress, who worked in a nearby bakery, that…
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Piazza San Pietro
One of the world’s great public spaces, Bernini’s piazza was laid out between 1656 and 1667 for Pope Alexander VII. Seen from above, it resembles a giant keyhole with two semicircular colonnades, each consisting of four rows of Doric columns, encircling a giant ellipse that straightens out to funnel believers into the basilica. The effect was deliberate – Bernini described the colonnades as representing ‘the motherly arms of the church’. The 25m obelisk in the centre was brought to Rome by Caligula from Heliopolis in Egypt and later used by Nero as a turning post for the chariot races in his circus. The scale of the piazza is dazzling: at its largest it measures 340m …
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Palazzo del Quirinale
Flanking Piazza del Quirinale, this immense palazzo served as the papal summer residence for almost three centuries until the keys were begrudgingly handed over to Italy’s new king in 1870. Since 1948, it has been home of the Presidente della Repubblica, Italy’s head of state. 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 built the chapel, and Bernini was responsible for the manica lunga (long sleeve), the austere wing that runs the length of Via del Quirinale. On the other side of the piazza, …
reviewed
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Palazzo Cenci
A veritable house of horrors, Palazzo Cenci was the scene of one of the 16th century’s most infamous murders. The victim was the sadistic Francesco Cenci, who was killed by his daughter Beatrice and wife Lucrecia after submitting them to years of abuse. After a long, drawn-out investigation the two perpetrators were beheaded in 1599 on Ponte Sant’Angelo in front of a vast and largely sympathetic crowd. Shelley based his tragedy The Cenci on the family, and a famous portrait of Beatrice by Guido Reni hangs in the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica – Palazzo Barberini. It shows a sweet-faced young girl with soft eyes and fair hair.
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Villa Medici
This striking Renaissance palace has been home to the French Academy since the early 19th century. It was built for Cardinal Ricci da Montepulciano in 1540, but Ferdinando dei Medici bought it in 1576 and it remained in Medici hands until Napoleon acquired it in 1801 and gave it to the French Academy. Its most famous resident was Galileo, who was imprisoned here between 1630 and 1633 during his trial for heresy. These days, the only way to get inside is to visit one of the regular art exhibitions or take a guided tour of the finely landscaped gardens (adult/concession €8/6; guided tours in Italian & French Wed, Sat & Sun).
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Palazzo Venezia
Built between 1455 and 1464, Palazzo Venezia was the first of Rome’s great Renaissance palaces. For centuries it served as the embassy of the Venetian Republic, although its best known resident was Mussolini, who used the vast Sala del Mappamondo as his office and famously made speeches from the balcony overlooking the square. Nowadays, the palazzo houses the Museo del Palazzo Venezia, with its superb Byzantine and early Renaissance paintings and an eclectic collection of jewellery, tapestries, ceramics, bronze figurines, arms and armour.
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Villa dei Quintili
Set on lush green fields between Via Appia Antica and Via Appia Nuova, this vast 2nd-century villa was the luxury abode of two brothers who were consuls under Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Alas, the splendour of the villa was to be the brothers’ downfall – in a fit of jealousy, Emperor Commodus had them both killed, taking over the villa for himself. The highlight is the well-preserved baths complex with a pool, caldarium (hot room) and frigidarium (cold room). There’s also a small display of archaeological bits and bobs found in the vicinity.
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Stadio di Domiziano
Like many of the city’s great landmarks, Piazza Navona sits on the site of an ancient monument, in this case the 1st-century-AD Stadio di Domiziano. This 30,000-seat stadium, remains of which can be seen from Piazza Tor Sanguigna, used to host games – the name Navona is a corruption of the Greek word agon, meaning public games. Inevitably, though, it fell into disrepair and it wasn’t until the 15th century that the crumbling arena was paved over and Rome’s central market transferred here from Campidoglio.
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Casa di Augusto
Among the best-preserved buildings on the Palatino is the Casa di Livia, northwest of the Domus Flavia. Home to Augustus’ wife Livia, it was built around an atrium leading onto what were once reception rooms, decorated with frescoes of mythological scenes, landscapes, fruits and flowers. In front is the Casa di Augusto, Augustus’ separate residence. Opened to the public in 2008 after years of restoration, the casa boasts superb frescoes.
reviewed
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Villa Torlonia
Full of towering pine trees, atmospheric palms and scattered villas, this splendid 19th-century park once belonged to Prince Giovanni Torlonia (1756–1829), a powerful banker and landowner. His large neoclassical villa, the Casino dei Principi, later became the Mussolini family home (1925–43) and, towards the end of WWII, Allied headquarters (1944–47). These days it’s used to stage temporary exhibitions.
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