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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 April 2009.

To the Italian visitors of my web site

Piazza Montanara (Book 2) (Map C3) (Day 5) (View C9) (Rione Campitelli) and (Rione Sant'Angelo)

In this page:
The plate by Giuseppe Vasi
Today's view (including S. Andrea in Vincis and SS. Orsola e Caterina)
Teatro di Marcello or Palazzo Orsini (Tempio di Apollo Sosiano and Tempio di Bellona)
Monastero di Tor de' Specchi
S. Rita da Cascia

The Plate (No. 30)

Piazza Montanara

Piazza Montanara owes its name (Montanara=of the mountains) to the peasants from the mountains near Rome, who congregated here for their shopping after visiting the nearby cattle market (Campo Vaccino i. e. the Roman Forum). According to others the name comes from a Montanari family which resided in the area. The view is taken from the green dot in the map below. In the description below the plate Vasi made reference to: 1) the fountain; 2) Teatro di Marcello (Palazzo Savelli/Orsini). The small 1748 map shows also 3) Monastero di Tor de' Specchi; 4) S. Rita da Cascia. The dotted line in the small map delineates the border between Rione Sant'Angelo (lower left quarter) and Rione Campitelli.

Small ViewSmall View

Today

The view today
Teatro di Marcello and columns of Tempio di Apollo Sosiano; in the background the main Jewish Synagogue

The medieval area between the Capitol and the Tiber was subject in the 1930s to large changes aimed at isolating the Roman ruins and at providing the centre of Rome with a large road leading towards the southern suburbs (so called Via del Mare, because it led to Porta S. Paolo and from there to Lido di Ostia) as you can see by comparing the two maps below. In the process two small churches were pulled down. The fountain of Piazza Montanara was relocated opposite Palazzo Lancellotti.

The maps
(left) 1883 Baedeker's map (in red the location of the lost churches of S. Andrea in Vincis and SS. Orsola e Caterina); (right) current map

Teatro di Marcello or Palazzo Orsini

Teatro di Marcello
(left) Teatro di Marcello: detail of the second floor with Ionic columns; (right) Temple of Apollo Sosiano and in the background Albergo della Catena and dome of S. Maria in Campitelli

The theatre was built by Augustus and dedicated to his beloved nephew Marcellus who had died at the age of twenty. It had two rows of arches decorated with semi-columns of the Doric and Ionian orders; similar to Colosseo it became a fortress (of the Savelli) during the Middle Ages. It was then transformed into a residential palace in the XVIth century; later on it was sold to the Orsini.
The pulling down of the buildings near Piazza Montanara led to finding the site of the temple built by Gaius Sosius and dedicated to Apollo: three columns have been re-erected; next to them there is the platform of the Temple to Bellona (goddess of war), the starting point of triumphal processions.

Decorations of Tempio di Apollo Sosiano
Fragments of the decoration of the Roman temples found near Teatro di Marcello and now placed on a terrace which can be accessed from Piazza di Campitelli

Gaius Sosius was a Roman politician, best known for having placed Herod upon the throne of Jerusalem. He sided with Mark Antony during the civil war and he commanded part of the fleet at the battle of Actium where he was captured. He was pardoned by Octavian (Augustus) and he returned to Rome where he dedicated his temple to his new master.
The decoration of the temple is very elaborate and it shows a full knowledge of Hellenistic art.

Palazzo Orsini
(left) Entrance to Palazzo Orsini; (centre) another bear in the garden; (right) fountain with a small (not original) obelisk

The inner part of the palace was redesigned during the XIXth century and it is of little interest. The Orsini (orso=bear) placed bears at its entrance and in the garden.

Monastero di Tor de' Specchi

Monastero di Tor de' Specchi
Monastero di Tor de' Specchi. (above) overall view; (below - left) XVIIIth century painting above the older entrance; (centre) relief attributed to Filippo della Valle above the other entrance; (right) medieval window

The only medieval building which was spared is the severe Monastero di Tor de' Specchi, founded by S. Francesca Romana in 1425. The nuns who live here make vows of seclusion. The thick walls and the small windows protect them from the temptations of modern life. On March 9, the day devoted to S. Francesca Romana, the nunnery is open to the public. The door to the left leads to the older part of the building where early Renaissance frescoes show the saint tempted by Evil. The door to the right leads to the Baroque Cappella del Coro.
S. Francesca Romana was a Ponziani, a wealthy family of Trastevere. When she died in 1440 most likely she did not foresee becoming in 1925 the patron saint of car drivers; this because it is said that an angel held a light before her when she travelled.

S. Rita da Cascia

S. Rita da Cascia
(left) S. Rita da Cascia and in the background S. Maria in Campitelli; (right) the six mountains which were the heraldic symbol of Pope Alexander VII.

This little church was located near the steps leading to S. Maria in Aracoeli and was rebuilt in 1940 between Teatro di Marcello and Monastero di Tor de' Specchi. It was designed by Carlo Fontana for Pope Alexander VII; it is one of the very first works of this architect.

Excerpts from Giuseppe Vasi 1761 Itinerary related to this page:


Piazza Montanara
Da' montanari, che concorrono in questa piazza, affine di trovare giornata, e partito di lavorare, prese un tal nome, e però Innocenzo XII. vi eresse il fonte coll'acqua, che avanza dal Campidoglio.
Nella vicinanza di questa fu l'antichissima porta di Roma detta Carmentale, da Carmenta madre di Evandro famosa donna indovinatrice, che ivi ebbe la sua casa; e non molto lungi fu il foro Olitolio, in cui si vendevano gli erbaggi, ed altresì fuvvi la colonna lattaria, presso alla quale portavano i bambini, per trovare chi li allattasse.
Teatro di Marcello, e Palazzo Orsini
Da Ottaviano Augusto fu costruito questo nobilissimo teatro per dare divertimento alla nobiltà Romana, e ancora per eternare il nome di Marcello figliuolo di Ottavia sua figliuola, e fu di tale magnificenza, e perfezione d'arte, che quel poco, che è rimasto intiero, ha servito di scuola ai primi maestri d'architettura de' nostri secoli. Era capace di trentamila spettatori, e nella prima festa dopo la morte di Marcello vi furono uccise 600. fiere Affricane. Sulle rovine di questo vi fu poi adattato un magnifico palazzo, prima dei Pier Leoni, poi de' Principi Savelli, ed ora de' Duchi Orsini, ornato di statue, di busti, e bassirilievi antichi con molte altre rarità moderne degne di un Principe.
Monastero di Torre di Specchi, e chiesa di s. Andrea in Vinchis, e di s. Orsola
Quest'insigne monastero fu eretto l'anno 1475. da s. Francesca Romana, per le donne vedove e nobili sotto la regola di s. Benedetto, ma senza voti; ora però si ricevono delle donzelle della primaria nobiltà di Roma; e perchè ne' voti vi è clausura, non hanno chiesa pubblica, ma dentro il medesimo, ed è dedicata alla ss. Nunziata.
Incontro evvi la chiesa di s. Orsola eretta nel Pontific. di Paolo III. da una Confraternita di devoti della s. Vergine; e poco più in giù quella di s. Andrea detta in Vinchis, ed ancora in Mantuccia, forse dal tempio di Giunone Matura, che ivi si crede essere stato. La tengono in cura li Scarpellini, e Statuari, i quali volendo nell'anno scorso fare qualche bene alla chiesa, fu scoperto l'antico pavimento tassellato l'altare con alcuni corpi di ss. Martiri.

Next plate in Book 2: Campo Vaccino
Next step in Day 5 itinerary: Chiesa di S. Nicolò in Carcere
Next step in your tour of Rione Campitelli: S. Maria d'Aracoeli
Next step in your tour of Rione Sant'Angelo: Piazza Giudia