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Visit Rome following 8 XVIIIth century itineraries XVIIIth century Rome in the 10 Books of Giuseppe Vasi - Le Magnificenze di Roma Antica e Moderna The Grand View of Rome by G. Vasi The Environs of Rome: Frascati, Tivoli, Albano and other small towns near Rome A 1781 map of Rome by G. Vasi An 1852 map of Rome by P. Letarouilly Rome seen by a 1905 armchair traveller in the paintings by Alberto Pisa The 14 historical districts of Rome An abridged history of Rome How to spend a peaceful day in Rome Baroque sculptors and their works The coats of arms of the popes in the monuments of Rome Pages on a specific pope Pages complementing the itineraries and the views by Giuseppe Vasi Walks in the Roman countryside and in other towns of Latium following Ferdinand Gregorovius A Directory of links to the Churches of Rome A Directory of links to the Palaces and Villas of Rome A Directory of links to the Other Monuments of Rome A Directory of Baroque Architects with links to their works A Directory of links to Monuments of Ancient Rome A Directory of links to Monuments of Medieval Rome A Directory of links to Monuments of Renaissance A Directory of links to Monuments of the Late Renaissance A list of the most noteworthy Roman Families Directories of fountains, obelisks, museums, etc. Books and guides used for developing this web site An illustrated Glossary of Art Terms Venice and the Levant Roman recollections in Florence A list of Italian towns shown in this web site Venetian Fortresses in Greece Vienna seen by an Italian XVIIIth century traveller A list of foreign towns shown in this web site
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All images © by Roberto Piperno, owner of the domain. Write to romapip@quipo.it. Text edited by Rosamie Moore.
Page revised in October 2009.

To the Italian visitors of my web site

S. Maria Annunziata (Book 8) (Day 3) (Rione Monti)

In this page:
The plate by Giuseppe Vasi
Today's view (Arco dei Pantani)
What's left (including Cappella della Madonna del Buon Consiglio)
Casa dei Cavalieri di Rodi (including S. Giovanni Battista)
Palazzo del Marchese del Grillo

The Plate (No. 150)

The Monastery and the Church of S. Maria Annunziata

The plate is named after the Nunnery of the Annunziata, but Vasi's main objectives were Palazzo del Marchese del Grillo and the impressive wall of tufa (peperino) blocks which surrounded the northern side of Augustus' Forum. To show them better Vasi did not hesitate to enlarge the small street flanking the walls and leading to the palace.
The view is taken from the green dot in the 1748 map below. In the description below the plate Vasi made reference to: 1) Ruins of Foro di Nerva; 2) Bell tower of the nunnery; 3) Arco dei Pantani; 4) Palazzo del Marchese del Grillo.

Small ViewSmall View

Today

The Street today
The view in January 2009

In 1926, in the frame of extensive excavations of the Forum of Augustus, the nunnery and its bell tower were pulled down and the passage through Arco dei Pantani was closed.
The house with the sacred image was modified in the XIXth century.

View from Arco dei Pantani
View from Arco dei Pantani (left to right: Curia Julia and SS. Luca e Martina, Campidoglio, columns of Tempio di Marte Ultore and Monument to King Victor Emmanuel II)

This arch was called Arco dei Pantani (swamps) because the area used to be flooded; this because the drainage put in place in the early stages of the expansion of Ancient Rome was no longer maintained after the XIth century. The columns belong to a temple built by Emperor Augustus to fulfil a vow he made during his war against Caesar's murderers.

What's left

The church and the nunnery
(left) XVIIth century relief above the entrance to the church; (right) coat of arms of Pope Sixtus IV which was in Via Alessandrina

In 1566 Pope Pius V assigned a large building which incorporated ancient Roman structures to an institution run by Dominican nuns which was aimed at assisting Jewish women who converted to the Catholic faith. Because the number of converted Jews was very low the scope of the institution was enlarged to cover in general all young women in need of help. The building retains several coats of arms which celebrate the changes made during the XVth century when it belonged to the Knights of Rhodes.

View from Arco dei Pantani
(left) Window with the coat of arms of Pope Paul II; (centre) sacred image in the location shown in the plate; (right) sacred image inside Cappella della Madonna del Buon Consiglio (alla salita del Grillo)

The plate shows to the right an elaborate madonnella. The painting is still there, but the baroque frame is lost. The inscription was added in 1797 and it granted 200 days of indulgence to those who devoutly prayed. It is one of several sacred images which wept when Napoleon invaded the Papal State. In the XIXth century a second sacred image was placed inside a small chapel on the right side of the street leading to Palazzo del Grillo.

Casa dei Cavalieri di Rodi

Rodi
(left) Casa dei Cavalieri di Rodi; (right) entrance inside an ancient Roman wall

In 1466 Pope Paul II assigned a sort of patronage over the Order of the Knights of Rhodes to his cousin Cardinal Marco Barbo. The cardinal promoted an extensive modernization of a property of the order in the former Forum of Augustus. The windows are very similar to those of Palazzo Venezia which was being completed by Cardinal Barbo. At the end of the XVth century the Order chose to relocate to another property on the Aventine hill.
In 1946 the part of the building which was not pulled down for the excavations of the Forum was assigned again to the Order (Knights of Malta after the 1522 loss of Rhodes). One of the halls of the building was turned into a small church (S. Giovanni Battista al Foro di Augusto).

Palazzo del Marchese del Grillo

Palazzo del Marchese del Grillo
(left) Main entrance; (right) arch linking the palace with the tower

The plate shows two towers which both belonged to the Conti family: the further one is now known as Torre delle Milizie, the nearer one in 1675 was sold to the Del Grillo family and it was included in a large complex of buildings.

Palazzo del Marchese del Grillo
(left) Side entrance; (right) a window

There is uncertainty about the architect who designed the palace; the attribution to Carlo Rainaldi of the design of the two portals is doubtful. The very varied decoration of the windows and of the cornice was completed at a later period.

Palazzo del Marchese del Grillo
Details of the decoration

The del Grillo (cricket) are remembered for a member of the family who behaved in a very extravagant way and enjoyed playing pranks. His life inspired a 1981 movie (external link), which is still very popular in Rome.

Excerpts from Giuseppe Vasi 1761 Itinerary related to this page:


Arco de' pantani, e Monastero della ss. Nunziata
Dicevasi anticamente quest'Arco transitorio, e le maravigliose colonne di marmo striate si credono del famoso foro, e basilica di Nerva Imperatore; non già da lui eretti ; poichè non altro, che un anno visse Imperatore; ma dal Senato al di lui nome furono dedicati, per conservare la memoria della sua bontà. Sulle ruine di questi fu eretta la chiesa, da prima in onore di s. Basilio, perchè vi stettero i Monaci di quel Santo, e poi i Cavalieri Templari, ora però vi è sotto il monastero per le Neofite, che vogliono vivere sotto la regola di s. Domenico; e la chiesa fu dedicata alla ss. Vergine Annunziata.
Incontro a questa evvi il palazzo del Grillo colla torre, e celebre fonte dell'acqua salubre.

Next plate in Book 8: Chiesa e Monastero di S. Cosimato
Next step in Day 3 itinerary: Collegio de' Neofiti
Next step in your tour of Rione Monti: Collegio de' Neofiti