Power And Architecture

PALACES OF POWER IN ROME

PALACES

OF POWER

THROUGH

THE

CENTURIES

ROMAN EMPIRE:

FORUM

MIDDLE AGES:

TEMPORAL

POWER

MODERN AGE:

POLITICAL

POWER

IL FORO ROMANO

The Forum Romanum (although

the Romans often referred to it

as the Forum Magnum or just the

Forum) was located in the valley

between the Palatine and the

Capitoline Hill and was the

commercial, religious and

political center of the city.

FORUM

COMIZIO:

-Comizi Curiati

-Comizi Centuriati

-Comizi Tributi

CURIA HOSTILIAROSTRA

COMIZIO

The Comizio (Latin Comitium) was the political center of

Rome, located in the Roman Forum. There were held the

oldest citizens' assemblies. There are few visible

remains after the Caesarian and Augustan

transformations that almost destroyed it. In the past it

occupied the northeastern corner of the Forum,

between the Basilica Emilia, the Arch of Septimius

Severus, and the Forum of Caesar. Caesar used most of

it to build the new Curia.

COMIZIO

COMIZIO

CURIA

CURIA

CURIA

The term curia at the

beginning of the

monarchy indicated a

division of Roman

population (that is the

tribes that made up

society). It was later

used to signify the

place where the tribes

gathered to discuss

state affairs. The word

comes from the Latin

"co-viria", that literally

means "together or

assembly of men. "

ROSTRA

ROSTRA

The Rostra (rostrum in Latin) were a platforma in the Roman

Forum from which judges held their orations. The name

derived from the prows of enemy ships (rostrum note) torn off

by the Romans during the victorious battle of Anzio and

placed there in 338 BC. Speakers would stand on the rostra

and face the north side of the comitium towards the senate

house. The Republicans Rostra remained in use until they

were demolished to make way for Caesar’s Forum .

MIDDLE AGES:

TEMPORAL POWER

LATERAN

Palace

QUIRINAL

PALACE

APOSTOLIC

PALACE

The Lateran Palace, built by Patriarch Constantine, is an ancient

building whose history dates back to Imperial Rome. It was the

official residence of the Roman pontiff for more than a thousand

years. It is next to the Basilica of ST John of Lateran, the cathedral

of Rome, and it contains the Holy See or Cathedra Romana. Sixtus V

ordered to destroy the remains of the ancient palace and built a

much smaller palace than the present building, designed by

Domenico Fontana, who was inspired by Palazzo Farnese.

LATERAN PALACE

The rebuilt Lateran Palace was used as the papal

summer residence since 1586 . Until the 19th

century popes were crowned in the Basilica of St

John of Lateran. The Lateran Palace now houses

the Historical Museum of the Papal States, the

offices of Rome Vicariate and the apartments of

Rome Cardinal Vicar.

PALACE OF QUIRINALE

In 1583 Pope Gregory XIII began to build a summer residence in

an area considered healthier than the Vatican Hill. It was

entrusted to architect Ottaviano Mascarino. Works were

completed in 1585. The Pope’s death prevented Mascarino to

start a second project involving the expansion of the building.

The house built by Mascarino is still recognizable in the north courtyard,

featuring a front double loggia, surmounted by the tower now known as the

Tower of the Winds, erected after the construction of the bell tower on drafts

by Carlo Maderno and Francesco Borromini. Ottaviano Mascarino's building

was built on land still belonging to the family Carafa d'Este, which thought

the Pope would leave the palace. Thus Pope Sixtus V, in 1587, purchased the

land from the Apostolic Chamber and only then started to expand the building

hiring Domenico Fontana, who totally remodeled the area with the

construction of the Street Pia and Street Felice and the crossing of the

Quattro Fontane. Quirinale thus became the "private" residence of the

Pontiff.

The Palazzo of Quirinale was the Pope's residence

until 1870, when Rome was conquered by the

Kingdom of Italy, then it became the residence of

Italian kings until 1946. The last pope to inhabit the

Quirinale was Pius IX.

VATICAN

HILL

SANT’ANGELO

CASTLE

SAINT PETER’S

BASILICA

APOSTOLIC

PALACE

VATICAN HILL

CASTEL SANT’ANGELO

Castel Sant'Angelo (or Mausoleum of Hadrian) is a Roman

monument on the right bank of the Tiber, opposite the pons

Aelius (Sant'Angelo bridge) which radically changed in the

Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Started in 125 by Emperor

Hadrian as his mausoleum and inspired by the mausoleum of

Augustus, it was completed by Antoninus Pius in 139.

The castle took its present name in 590 when Rome was afflicted by

a terrible plague. Nicholas III, given the reputation of impregnability

of the castle and its proximity to the Basilica of St. Peter‘s and the

Vatican Palace, decided to move there part of the Apostolic See

from the Lateran Palace, which he considered unsafe. To provide

greater security to the Vatican Palace the famous “passetto“, a

protected passage for the Pope from St. Peter to the fortress, was

created.

ST. PETER’S BASILICA

The St. Peter’s Basilica is the seat of the main events of the Roman

Catholic Church and is therefore used for the solemn celebrations:

Christmas, Easter and the Holy Week rituals, proclamation of new

popes and funerals of deceased ones, opening and closing of

Jubilees. Under the pontificate of Pius IX it hosted the sessions of

Vatican Council, under Pope John XXIII and Paul VI the Second

Vatican Council.

APOSTOLIC PALACE

The Apostolic Palace, also called the Papal Palace or the Vatican Palace, is

the official residence of the Pope in Vatican City. Before 1871 the official

residence of the Pope was Palazzo del Quirinale. After the fall of the Papal

States in 1870, the King of Italy seized the building in 1871 for his official

residence. After the abolition of the monarchy in 1946, it became the

residence of the President of the Republic.

MODERN AGE PALACES

The word "palace" comes from the Latin name

for the Palatine Hill in Rome (Palatium),

where in the imperial age had developed

structures of the official

residence of the emperors (Domus Augustana).

The name of the hill became for excellence

that

of any royal and princely residence. The

building is a building of large proportions and

architectural value.

The palace was once used as a residence of

kings,

princes and gentlemen, today is mostly used

as a place of public office or place of

representation by private

entities such as banks and foundations.

POLITICAL POWER

PALAZZO DEL

QUIRINALE

PALAZZO

MADAMAPALZZO

MONTECITORIO

PALZZO

CHIGI

PALZZO DELLA

FARNESINAPALZZO

SPADA

PALAZZO DEL

CAMPIDOGLIO

PALZZO DEL

VIMINALE

PALAZZO MADAMA

Palazzo Madama is located in Corso Rinascimento, a few meters from

Piazza Navona. It currently houses the Senate with the assembly hall,

some parliamentary groups, the offices of the President and Secretary

General, and some offices and services closely related to

parliamentary activity.

PALAZZO MONTECITORIO

The history of the building began in the first half of 15°

century when Innocent X commissioned Gian Lorenzo Bernini

to build a residence for the family Ludovisi. Montecitorio

houses the Chamber of Deputies. The most important

reception rooms are on the second floor along with the offices

of the President, members of the Executive and the Secretary.

A monumental staircase leads to the

so-called corridor of busts, where

bronze and marble busts of

distinguished men are exposed.

Another exhibition room is called

“Sala della Lupa“. It’s the largest

salon of the Bernini wing, which

owes its name to the a bronze

sculpture of the Capitoline She-wolf.

STATELY ROOMS

PALAZZO CHIGI

Palazzo Chigi, seat of the Italian government since

1961, is a historical building located in the city centre.

The main entrance is in the "Column" square in front of

Marcus Aurelius Column. Until 17th century it was

situated along Via del Corso.

PALAZZO DELLA

FARNESINA

Palazzo della Farnesina, often simply called Farnesina,

houses the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is located between

Monte Mario and the Tiber in the area of Foro Italico.

PALAZZO SPADA

Palazzo Spada houses the Council of State. It is located in Piazza Capo di Ferro.

It was originally built in 1540 for Cardinal Girolamo Capodiferro (1501-1559) by

the architects Bartolomeo Baronino and Giulio Mazzoni. The building was

bought by Cardinal Spada in 1632. Spada commissioned Francesco Borromini to

modify it according to new tastes. Palazzo Spada was purchased with all

furnishings and the gallery, by the Italian state in 1927.

CAPITOL HILL

The remains of the ancient Tabularium were used as a fortified residence

by the Corsi family. With the rise of communal institutions, in 1144 the

palace became the seat of the reconstituted Senate. It underwent

several changes and additions and the new buildings of Palace of the

Conservatives and the New Palace, which currently house the Capitoline

Museums. The square, built from a design by Michelangelo, was

decorated with the famous equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius and a

new staircase, the Cordonata was built which allowed people to climb up

the hill even on horseback. The Campidoglio houses Rome’s City Council.

Both the English words Capitol (government administration), and Capital

( capital city) derives from the Capitol Hill.

PALAZZO DEL

QUIRINALE

The Palazzo del Quirinale is situated on the hill with the

same name. It Is the official residence of the President of

the Italian Republic and one of the symbols of the Italian

State.

PALAZZO DEL

VIMINALE

The Palazzo del Viminale is a historic palace. Since

1925 it was first the seat of the Prime minister then the

seat of the Ministry of Interior of the Italian Republic. In

1961 the Prime Minister moved to Palazzo Chigi

leaving just the Ministry of Interior there.