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All images © by Roberto Piperno, owner of the domain. Write to romapip@quipo.it. Text edited by Rosamie Moore.

To the Italian visitors of my web site

Giardino Colonna nel clivo del Quirinale (Book 10) (Map B3) (Day 3)(View C7) (Rione Trevi)

In this page:
The plate by Giuseppe Vasi
Today's view
Torre Colonna
Palazzo Piombino e SS. Croce dei Lucchesi

The Plate (No. 193)

Giardino Colonna

The Colonna had their Villa in the backyard of their city palace (Palazzo Colonna). Four little bridges led from the palace to the gardens and the Casino built on the slopes of the Quirinale hill. 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) Part of the Palazzo Colonna Oval Gallery; 2) Bridges over Via della Pilotta linking the Palace with the gardens; 3) New fountains and steps; 4) Casino built on Roman walls. The small map shows also: 5) Entrance from Monte Cavallo; 6) Palazzo Piombino; 7) SS. Croce de' Lucchesi; 8) Palazzo Testa-Piccolomini; 9) Torre Colonna.

Small ViewSmall View

Today

The view today

The view from the ground is necessarily rather limited and concentrates on Via della Pilotta the little street crossed by the bridges which bear the family symbol. To get a view of what is left of the gardens (part of which was sold) it is necessary to go on the first floor of the buildings on the rear of Palazzo Colonna.

One of the remaining decorations of the gardens is a monument to the family hero, Marcantonio Colonna who fought at Lepanto in 1571. Every year the town of Marino celebrates him with a historical procession.
Read Henry James's account of his visit to Giardini Colonna in 1873.

Giardino Colonna

The gardens have also an independent access near Palazzo del Quirinale. The steps were added at the end of the XIXth century, but the gate goes back to 1618. Two Turkish prisoners (with clear reference to the battle of Lepanto) hold the coat of arms of the Colonna.

Giardino Colonna

Torre Colonna

Torre Colonna

The Colonna lived in this area from the XIIth century onward and they built several towers to protect themselves. The main tower called Torre Mesa was located in the gardens, but it was pulled down at the request of Pope Gregorius XIII (1572-85) as it spoiled the view over Rome from Palazzo del Quirinale. The only remaining tower of the Colonna's defence system can be seen in Via Quattro Novembre. It is decorated with the family symbols (column/mermaid) and with some Roman reliefs. The image shows also the tip of SS. Nome di Maria.

Palazzo Piombino e SS.Croce dei Lucchesi

Palazzo Piombino

Via della Pilotta leads to Piazza della Pilotta, where the Romans used to play "la pelota" the basque game played in a walled court with ball and wicker racket. The building in the photo is the Pontifical Gregorian University built in the 1930s on the site of Palazzo Piombino. The Gregorian University was originally in Collegio Romano which had been founded by Gregorius XIII Boncompagni. The Boncompagni Ludovisi were also known as Piombino, because the Tuscan town of Piombino and the nearby Island of Elba were for some time in their possession. This explains the choice of Pius XI to use Palazzo Piombino to rebuild the university founded by the Piombino's great pope.
Via della Pilotta then leads to Via della Dataria, but before that a little square hosts the church of SS. Croce dei Lucchesi and the back of Palazzo Testa Piccolomini.

SS. Croce dei Lucchesi

A church existed on this site as early as the IVth century. A larger church was erected later and is recorded in 1192 as S. Nicola. It was then incorporated (part of the old church is still visible) in the new church built between 1575 and 1677 (façade by Mattia de' Rossi). The church was until 1895 the national church of Lucca (click here for a list of national churches in Rome). The little square is closed by a nice XVIIIth century palace (designed by Filippo Barigioni), which shows over some windows the five moons of the Piccolomini (Pius II and Pius III).

Excerpts from Giuseppe Vasi 1761 Itinerary related to this page:


Giardino Colonnese
Nel clivo del monte Quirinale sta situato questo amenissimo giardino, e dal palazzo vi si passa per quattro ponti gettati sulla strada della pillotta. E questo molto considerabile, non solo per 1'amenità delle fontane, viali, e statue, ma molto più pel maraviglioso marmo, che giace per terra nella parte superiore di esso; egli è un pezzo di frontespizio lavorato egregiamente, e per la sua gran mole, mostra di essere avanzo di edifizio molto sorprendente; le muraglie antiche, che ivi si vedono furono, secondo che dimostra il Serlio, parte del medesimo edifizio, il quale principiava dal basso con magnifiche scale, e portici, e saliva sul colle per andare alle terme di Costantino Magno: perciò da alcuni si crede , che tutte quelle opere siano state del medesimo Costantino.
Chiesa della ss. Croce de' Lucchesi
Nella strada a destra di detto palazzo si vede quella chiesa, che prima dicevasi s. Niccolò in porcibus, poi s. Bonaventura de' frati Cappuccini, e ora, avendola nel 1631 ottenuta la nazione Lucchese, sì dice santa Croce de' Lucchesi. Il quadro della B. Rita nella prima cappella a desfra è di Lazzaro Baldi; la Presentazione al tempio di Pietro Testa Lucchese, la ss. Concezione, di Biagio Puccini; il s. Frediano è di Francesco Tintore, il s. Lorenzo Giustiniano è di Domenico Muratori, e le pitture nel soffitto sono di Gio. Coli, e Filippo Gheraldi.

Next plate in Book 10: Disegno dell'Anticaglia nel Giardino Colonnese
Next step in Day 3 itinerary: Monastero delle Vergini
Next step in your tour of Rione Trevi: Palazzo Colonna