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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.

To the Italian visitors of my web site

Palazzo Odescalchi (Book 4) (Map B3) (Day 3) (View C7) (Rione Trevi)

In this page:
The plate by Giuseppe Vasi
Today's view (including Chiesa di S. Romualdo)
Palazzo Odescalchi or Bracciano
Palazzo Spinelli (also known as Bonelli/Rezzonico/Valentini)

The Plate (No. 64)

Palazzo Odescalchi

Palazzo Odescalchi was originally a possession of the Colonna family, sold to Pope Alexander VII Chigi in 1661. The Chigi sold the palace in 1748 to the Odescalchi. It is also called Palazzo Bracciano, because the Odescalchi have a large castle in the town of Bracciano. The view is taken from the green dot in the small 1745 map here below. In the description below the plate Vasi made reference to: 1) Palazzo Colonna; 2) Palazzo Bonelli - Spinelli; 3) Colonna Traiana; 4) S. Maria di Loreto; 5) Palazzo Ruffi. 1), 3) and 4) are shown in other pages. The small map shows also 6) Palazzo Odescalchi.

Small ViewSmall View

Today

The view today

The palaces to the left of Palazzo Odescalchi are relatively modern buildings which have replaced the palace, Palazzo Ruzzi, shown in the plate. Immediately after Palazzo Ruzzi there was a narrow street leading to Chiesa di San Romualdo, a church pulled down in 1878 to open a larger street linking Piazza di Venezia with the railway station. The church of S. Maria di Loreto is still visible, whilst the tip of the Trajan's Column is hidden by Palazzo Spinelli.

Palazzo Odescalchi

Palazzo Odescalchi

The palace was redesigned by Gian Lorenzo Bernini who set a pattern which influenced many other palaces in Italy and Europe: in particular the high pilasters starting above the ground/first floor. Unfortunately the proportions of the building were altered by Nicola Salvi and Luigi Vanvitelli when the Odescalchi, new owners of the palace, decided to make it wider.
The coat of arms of the Odescalchi is among the most complex ones. It is made of an eagle, a lion and six lamps: because both the eagle and the lion are represented in many other coats of arms, the lamp ended up by being the distinctive mark of the Odescalchi (my background shows a detail of the wrought iron gate of the palace).

Coat of arms


The palace is still a property of the Odescalchi family. On special occasions the public is allowed to have a look at the fine courtyard.

In the courtyard


Palazzo Spinelli

Palazzo Spinelli

Today the palace is known as Palazzo Valentini. Built in 1585 it is a small but elegant copy of Palazzo Farnese. According to Vasi it was designed by a Dominican blackfriar, Domenico Paganelli. In 1781 Vasi's map it is called Palazzo Rezzonico (the family of Clemens XIII) while in the guide Vasi calls it Palazzo Bonelli after the family who owned the palace for more than two centuries. In the early XVIIIth century the palace was rented to Marquis Francesco Maria Ruspoli, a great patron of musicians, who in 1707 hosted the German composer George F. Handel.

Excerpts from Giuseppe Vasi 1761 Itinerary related to this page:


Palazzo Odescalchi
Incontro alla sopraddetta chiesa de' XII. santi Apostoli evvi questo magnifico palazzo già del Card. Chigi, eretto col disegno del Cav. Bernino; ma ora passato ne' Duchi di Bracciano, è stato disteso più oltre del doppio colla medesima architettura del Bernini, ed è ornato di statue, busti antchi, ed altre rarità degne di un Principe Romano.
Palazzo Bonelli
Il prospetto di questo magnifico palazzo corrisponde sulla piazza de' XII. ss. Apostoli , e fu eretto col disegno del P. Paganelli frate Domenicano; ma elssendo rimasto imperfetto fin d'allora , non vi è stato chi compisse il magnifico cortile . In oggi spetta all'eredità Imperiali , e vi sta collocata una scelta libreria in benefizio delli studenti, e letterati.

Next plate in Book 4: Palazzo S. Marco della Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia
Next step in Day 3 itinerary: Chiesa di S. Marco
Next step in your tour of Rione Trevi: Palazzo dell'Accademia di Francia