Home

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
What's New!

Detailed Sitemap

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 Ruspoli (Book 4) (Map B2) (Day 1) (View C6) (Rione Campo Marzio) and (Rione Colonna)

In this page:
The plate by Giuseppe Vasi
Today's view
Palazzo Ruspoli
Palazzo di Fiano (or Ottoboni) e Arco di Portogallo
Ara Pacis Augustae
Palazzo Della Genga

The Plate (No. 68)

Palazzo Ruspoli

In this view Vasi shows almost the west side of Via del Corso from north towards south (Palazzo Venezia). 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) Strada dei Condotti towards Piazza di Spagna; 2) Strada dei Condotti towards Ripetta; 3) Palazzo Ottoboni; 4) Palazzetto S. Marco (Venezia) e Torre del Campidoglio. 4) is shown in another page. The small map shows also 5) Palazzo Ruspoli; 6) Palazzo Della Genga. The dotted line in the small map delineates the borders between Rione Campo Marzio (top) and Rione Colonna (lower part).

Small ViewSmall Map

Today

The view today

Palazzo Ruspoli was somewhat isolated, whilst today there is a line of palaces of more or less the same height all along Via del Corso.

Palazzo Ruspoli

The portal

The elegant and sober palace was built by Bartolomeo Ammannati for the Rucellai Florentine family in the second half of the XVIth century. The entrance shows the typical bugnato (ashlar stones) of so many palaces in Florence (including the Rucellai's one). Eventually the palace passed to the Caetani and to the Ruspoli family.

Palazzo di Fiano (or Ottoboni)

Palazzo Fiani

Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni became Pope Alexander VIII in 1689 at the age of 79. He died after 15 months and the double-headed eagle of his coat of arms did not have time enough to become popular like the dove of Innocentius X. Palazzo Ottoboni (or Fiano after the nephew of the pope, the Duke of Fiano) consisted of two buildings in Via del Corso facing each other. The main building on the same side of Palazzo Ruspoli was largely reshaped in the XIXth century: only in the courtyard a fountain tells us something about the past owners (the double-headed eagle is associated with the dragons of the Boncompagni family). The smaller building on the other side has retained its XVIIIth century looks. The inscription on the corner celebrates Pope Alexander VII for pulling down Arco di Portogallo, a Roman arch on top of which Cardinal Giorgio di Portogallo in the XVth century built a passage to create a link between the two palaces and which was a sort of inner gate of Rome. Actually the names of some streets (Via della Vite-grape , Via Frattina-bush) departing from Via del Corso confirm that the area between Porta del Popolo and Arco del Portogallo was almost out of town in the XVth century.

Details

Ara Pacis Augustae

Ara Pacis - Mother Earth

In 13 BC the Senate decreed to consecrate an altar to Pax Augusta, i.e. the peace resulting from the victorious campaigns of Augustus in Spain and Gaul. The Senate ordered that the Republic magistrates and priests made an annual sacrifice on the altar. The altar was located near today's Palazzo Fiano and it was decorated with a long relief showing the annual procession and with four other smaller reliefs, one of which (see image above) portrays Tellus (Earth). The image below shows some of the children attending the procession. The monument has been reconstructed near the Mausoleum of Augustus.


Children

Palazzo Della Genga

Palazzo Della Genga

This simple XVIth century palace was modified in 1612 when Pope Paulus V Borghese wanted to grant to his nearby family palace a direct access to Via del Corso: this explains the sharp angle between the already existing Via del Leoncino and the newly opened Via della Fontanella di Borghese, named after a small fountain at the corner between the two streets. The Della Genga, who acquired the building from the Borghese, became famous in 1823 when Cardinal Annibale Della Genga was elected pope (Leo XII).

Excerpts from Giuseppe Vasi 1761 Itinerary related to this page:


Palazzo Ruspoli già Gaetani
Con disegno di Bartolommeo Ammannati fu eretto questo magnifico Palazzo della nobilissima famiglia Gaetani, ed è riguardevole per la scala composta di gradini di marmo pario, per le statue, e per li busti, e bassirilievi antichi, che sono in esso.
Palazzo di Fiano
A destra della riferita chiesa si vede parte dell'antichissimo palazzo de' Cardinali Titolari della medesima, che poi fu posseduto dalla famiglia Peretti, indi de' Ludovisi, ed ora de' Duchi di Fiano Ottoboni. Si legge, che da un Cardinale Inglese fu fabbricato l'an. 1300. sopra le rovine di un grande edifizio, che dicevasi di Domiziano. Era appoggiato al medesimo un arco trionfale, che dal volgo fu detto di Tripoli, forse per i trofei, de' quali fu adorno; o pure per la vittoria di tre città avuta da quell'Imperatore. Fu detto ancora di Portogallo, da un Cardinale di quella nazione, che vi abitò. Il Nardini considerando i bassirilievi, che vi erano, lo credette di Marco Antonio, e stette in piedi fino al pontificato di Alessandro VII. il quale per rendere libera la strada del Corso, fece demolirlo: pose però nel casamento incontro una lapide per memoria di esso, e li bassirilievi furono posti in Campidoglio nel palazzo de' Conservatori.

Next plate in Book 4: Palazzo Borghese
Next step in Day 1 itinerary: Chiesa di S. Lorenzo in Lucina
You have completed your tour of Rione Campo Marzio!
Next step in your tour of Rione Colonna: Piazza Colonna