060608


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Typology: Place of historical interest

Address

Address: Via del Plebiscito, 118
Zone: Rione Pigna (Torre Argentina) (Roma centro)

Contacts

Opening times

Open every day from 9.30 to 18.30

Information

Modalità di partecipazione: Free entrance

Description

The courtyard of the 15th-century palace was transformed into a garden during the 19th century. It was probably under the guidance of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Vienna - this building housed the Austrian Embassy in that period - and was enriched with a large variety of plants: the famous Leopoldo Pietro Romualdo Pirotta (1853-1936), a botanist from Pavia, was responsible for the introduction of the four species of palm trees, including some of the highest in Rome, which can still be admired in the flowerbed in the middle.

 

Completely closed at the cars, the garden is the heart of the whole complex. Here, the view extends over several key elements of the palace. On its eastern side, the side of the Basilica di San Marco with its medieval façade, its Romanesque bell tower and its large 15th-century windows stands out.

 

The portico in two orders on the north-eastern side is attributed to Pope Paul II (1464-1471) and his grandson Marco Barbo (1420-1471) due from the presence of the coats and arms of both, the pontifical tiara and the keys of the first, the cardinal's hat decorated with tassels and the crossed astyle of the Patriarcato di Aquileia for the second. Recently, however, it has been suggested that the commissioner was Marco Barbo alone: he is said to have ordered the construction after the death of his uncle and to have placed his coats of arms there to honour his memory.

 

The construction shows a clear classical inspiration: the most evident source is the Colosseo. For this reason, some people believe that Leon Battista Alberti was directly engaged. Others identify the architect as Francesco del Borgo. However, it remained incomplete, as shown by the last arch on the left of the southern side.

 

The eastern side of the first order gives access to the side entrance of the Basilica di San Marco; the northern side gives access to the 15th-century Refettorio. Inside the second order are irregular pieces of sculpture, including the four anthropomorphic sculptures, possibly representing the Heads of Winds, from the viridarium. Immediately behind the profile of the loggia is the small tower above the sacristy or altana commissioned by Marco Barbo (1420-1471).

 

In the middle of the garden there is a beautiful fountain commissioned in 1730 from Carlo Monaldi (c. 1683- 1760) by the ambassador Barbon Morosini. The fountain, which portrays Venice marrying the sea, recalls one of the traditional ceremonies of the Serenissima.

 

The western façade of the garden, where the entrance to Via degli Astalli opens, was rebuilt in 1733 by Angelo Maria Querini (1680-1755), titular cardinal of the Basilica di San Marco. In the niche in the centre - later moved to the side - was placed the statue of St. Pietro Orseolo, the first Doge of Venice, canonised in 1731; above it dominates the Passetto dei Cardinali.


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Culture and leisure › Cultural heritage › Museums
Last checked: 2022-05-30 15:22