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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 August 2009.
To the Italian visitors of my web site

Giardino Pontificio sul Quirinale (Book 10) (Map B3) (Day 3)  (View B7) (Rione Trevi)

In this page:
 The plate by Giuseppe Vasi
 Today's view
 June 2, 2000 (Republic Day)
 Manica Lunga and Palazzina del Segretario della Cifra
 Strada Pia including (lost) S. Maria Maddalena
 Meaning of the Flags

The Plate (No. 192)

Giardino Pontificio sul Quirinale

The view is not so much of the gardens, but rather of the palace, seen from the gardens. The view is interesting for its representation of the Papal court as it shows Pope Benedict XIV walking in the gardens and wearing a large straw hat while an attendant shades him with a parasol. This hat is called a saturno and its use, after a long period of neglect, has been revived by Pope Benedict XVI.
The view is taken from the green dot in the small 1748 map here below. In the description below the plate Vasi made reference to: 1) Casino built by Pope Benedict XIV; 2) Papal Apartments; 3) Buildings for housing the servants and the Swiss Guard (Manica Lunga). The small map shows also: 4) S. Maria Maddalena; 5) Palazzina del Segretario della Cifra.

Small ViewSmall View

Today

The view today
"Corazzieri" in their summer full dress at the entrance to the gardens (left) and during Republic Day (right)

The Palace is today the residence of the President of the Italian Republic and the gardens are not opened to the public. Corazzieri is a special regiment of Carabinieri, entrusted with the security of the President.

June 2, 2000

The view today
The view on June 2, 2000


On June 2, 2000 Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, President of the Republic between 1999 and 2006, opened the gardens to the public and in that occasion it was possible to take a view of the gardens and of the palace.
June 2 is Republic Day in Italy because it is the anniversary of the referendum held on June 2, 1946 by which the Italians chose republic as institutional form of government.
The design of the gardens has been modified by planting palms and pine trees, but it is still possible to identify most of the elements of Vasi's plate.

The coffee house and Manica Lunga
(left) Coffehouse; (right) a fountain of the gardens

The little casino designed in 1741 by Ferdinando Fuga for Pope Benedict XIV has not been modified; it is now called "the Coffee House".

Celebrations
(left) Carabinieri present arms to President Ciamp in a vintage car; (right) a moment of Rossini's Gazza Ladra overture


In the morning President Ciampi reviewed a selection of the Italian armed forces; and in the afternoon the crowds in the garden were entertained by various bands. To see the 2005 parade click here.
The special opening of the gardens has occurred every year since 2000, although the celebrations have now (2009) a more subdued tone, because of budget cuts and lesser emphasis on all references to Italian unity.

Manica Lunga

Manica lunga
(left) Manica Lunga; (right) detail of Palazzina del Segretario della Cifra


The long building (a barracks for the Swiss Guard) described by Vasi is called Manica Lunga (Long Sleeve) and as Vasi says it was designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini during the pontificate of Pope Alexander VII. In 1730-32 it was completed by Ferdinando Fuga, who designed at its end a small palace for Segretario della Cifra, the assistant to the pope in charge of ciphering his secret letters. The palace is now the private apartment of the President of the Republic. The long corridor of Manica Lunga is embellished with Vasi's plates.

Strada Pia

The chapel
(left) Strada Pia (Via XX Settembre); (right) enlargement showing S. Carlo alle Quattro Fontane (right side of the street), S. Susanna (left side) and Porta Pia (end of the street)

Several monasteries stood opposite Manica Lunga. When in 1871 Palazzo del Quirinale became the residence of the excommunicated King of Italy, the presence of these monasteries became an embarrassment and they were pulled down including the monastery of S. Maria Maddalena, which was located very near Piazza del Quirinale (where now there is a public garden). The photo shows Via Pia (today known as Via XX Settembre), which leads to Porta Pia.

Meaning of the Flags

The chapel
Loggia del Quirinale with various settings of the flags: (upper left corner) before 2000; (lower left corner) after 2000; (right) when the President is away


The Italian flag is il Tricolore, the tricolour and it derives from the flag of the French Republic, with green replacing blue. On public buildings and since 1998 the Italian flag is accompanied by that of the European Union (twelve gold stars on a blue background).
A special flag indicates the presence of the President of the Republic in Palazzo del Quirinale: it is based on an early design of the Italian flag; it is surrounded by a blue band which indicates the Italian Army (the President is its Chief) and it has at its centre the coat of arms of the Italian Republic. This special flag was introduced in 2000; before that date the "flag of the President" was blue.
The clock of Loggia del Quirinale used to indicate the Italian hour (more on this topic).

Excerpts from Giuseppe Vasi 1761 Itinerary related to this page:


Giardino Pontificio
Urbano VIII. aggiunse al palazzo Quirinale il delizioso giardino, e spianando colli, e riempendo valli, formovvi amenissimi viali, e fontane, cingendolo ancora di forti muraglie ad uso di baluardi. Altri Pontefici vi fecero maravigliose fontane, e giuochi di acqua, artificiosamente disposti per bagnare gli incauti spettatori, e finalmente Benedetto XIV. vi eresse un casino di riposo con disegno del Cav. Fuga, ornato di pitture moderne, e di varie cose rare. È notabile, che in questo nobilissimo casino il medesimo Pontefice nell'anno 1744. a' 3. di Novembre accolse il Re delle due Sicilie, oggi invittissimo Monarca delle Spagne Carlo III.
Chiesa e monastero di s. Maria Maddalena
A destra del palazzo della Consulta, ed incontro al secondo portone del palazzo Apostolico, evvi la chiesa di s. Maria Maddalena, ed il monastero delle Suore Domenicane; e poco più oltre quello delle Cappuccine.
Tra l'uno, e l'altro monastero fu ne' secoli passati un antico tempio, che fu spogliato de' suoi ornamenti di marmo e ne fu fatta la scalinata di Araceli. Fu creduto esser quello di Quirino, eretto per ordine di Numa in onore di Romolo, e come vincitore volle, che tra li Dei fosse chiamato Quirino.
Strada Pia sul Quirinale
E' sentimento comune degli Antiquari , che dal suddetto tempio prendesse il nome questo celebre colle, sebbene da alcuni si dica, che si provenisse da' Quirini venuti a Roma da Quire città della Sabina con Tito Tazio; il quale qui pose i suoi alloggiamenti nell'anno quinto del regno di Romolo, quando per vendicarsi del rapimento delle donzelle Sabine, prese a tradimento la Rocca per opera della vergine Tarpeja; benchè poi nel più caldo conflitto succcedesse la pace per mezzo delle medesime donzelle Sabine, già fatte mogli de' Romani. E però questo colle fu il primo, che fosse aggiunto a Roma, abitandovi i Sabini, e facendovi la sua regia Numa successore di Romolo, il quale fecevi appresso un tempio con tre celle, o per dir meglio cappelle, una dedicata a Giove, l'altra a Giunone, e la terza a Minerva, che poi fu chiamato Campidoglio vecchio, a distinzione di quelle, che furono dipoi fatte della medesima forma e maniera nel gran tempio di Giove Capitolino.
Dal gran Pontefice Pio IV. dobbiamo riconoscere la magnifica strada, che ora su questo colle si vede dritta, piana, e lunga più di un miglio, e per ciò con ragione porta il di lui nome. Anticamente dicevasi Alta semita, e vi erano degli edilizi molto sorprendenti, come dalle macerie già abbiamo veduto.

Next plate in Book 10: Giardino Colonnese
Next step in Day 3 itinerary: Palazzo Rospigliosi
Next step in your tour of Rione Trevi: Chiesa di S. Silvestro al Quirinale