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Typology: Monuments

Address

Address: Via di San Nicola de Cesarini
Zone: Rione Pigna (Torre Argentina) (Roma centro)

Scheduled events

Description

The tower is at the corner between Via Florida and Via di S. Nicola de’ Cesarini, at the border of the archaeological complex of the Area Sacra in Largo Argentina. The origin of the name Papito is uncertain ; some believe that it comes from the antipope Anacleto II Pierleoni (1132-1138), nicknamed "Papetto" due to his short height. Others believe that the word Papito comes from the family of the Papareschi.The tower was build during the SIV century by the Papareschi, it passed to the Boccamazzi and at the end of the XIV century to the Cesarini that built, near by, also a grand building, demolished in order to bring back to light the temples of the Area Sacra. In 1941, were demolished also the buildings that leaned on the Tower of the Papito that remained so isolated as it is nowadays. It was then restored by A. Munoz who had the two doors on the ground floor closed, other openings were made and some windows were eliminated. On the side, the small portico (portichetto) was built in a middle age style using some columns and capitals that were part of the court-yard of a house that was adjoined to the tower, then demolished due to the enlargement of Via delle Botteghe Oscure. The inside of the tower was divided into three floors besides the ground floor, connected by a ligneous staircase; three coat-or-arms were walled up on the inside of the ground floor, one of the Cesarini and one of the Boccamazzi , apart from some architectonic fragments from the church of S. Nicola de’ Calcarario. Another coat-of-arms of the Boccamazzi is walled up on the outside, next to the entrance door. An internal stair case and a corridor connect the tower to the underground archaeological area.
Notes: The tower is visible only from the outside.
Last checked: 2023-06-08 14:14