Plan and longitudinal section of the Capitol area. Capitoline Hill in Rome: history, opening hours and where it is located

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The lowest of the seven legendary Roman hills and small in area, it has always had a special status.
In the times of Romulus and Remus, it was an inaccessible cliff with two peaks and a valley between them, protected on all sides by steep cliffs. It was possible to climb it only from the side of the Forum.
On the hill rose a huge Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus, dedicated to the divine triad - Jupiter, Juno and Minerva.
Its construction began under Tarquinius Proud at the end of the 6th century BC, but ended only in the first years of the republic in 509 BC. The temple stood on a high foundation and had the shape of a quadrangle.
In 83 BC. the temple of Jupiter was set on fire and burned to the ground with all its riches. Caesar restored the temple. But fires plagued the religious building; it burned and was rebuilt several times.
The temple was particularly splendid under Domitian; even the tiles on the roof were made of gilded bronze.
During the time of the Christian emperors, the temple began to collapse, it was constantly robbed and, in the end, not a trace remained of the magnificent building.
Nearby was the temple of Juno Moneta. Nickname Coin (from the verb “moneo” - to warn) appeared after the warning of the goddess Juno to the Romans during the war with Taranto (272 century BC). The sacred geese of Juno warned the Romans about the impending attack of the Gauls.
There was a mint next to the temple. By the way, the metal money minted at the mint at the Temple of Juno Coins began to be called coins, first in Rome, and later in other countries.

Now you can climb the hill using three stairs: the left one (122 steps) rises steeply to Church of Santa Maria in Araceli; the central one, wide and sloping, with a border, is the work of Michelangelo; on the right there is another inconspicuous staircase and a road.

In the 16th century, the Capitoline Hill was rebuilt according to Michelangelo's design.
Among other things, he designed a staircase made of white marble that connected Piazza Araceli with the hill on which the Palazzo dei Conservatori and Palazzo Nuovo are located, the façade of the Palace of Senators overlooks and the Capitoline Square is laid out.
Michelangelo was a master of his craft and had a great command of space. Thanks to an optical illusion, he managed to expand a small area by creating a staircase with the feeling of an endless climb and using reverse perspective. In 1940, the square was paved with a unique star-shaped design, which further enlarged the space.
In 1583, during excavations of the Theater of Pompey, sculptures of Egyptian lions and equestrian statues of the Dioscuri - the legendary twins Castor and Pollux, born of the beautiful Leda from Zeus, who took the form of a swan - were found and placed at the base of the stairs. Gemini is considered the patron saint of horses and is always depicted with them.
Nearby, along the balustrade, are Mario's Trophies: statues of Constantine and Constantius II, two milestones from the Appian Way.
To the side of the Capitoline Steps is the statue of Cola di Rienza, which was placed here in the 19th century. at the place where he was killed.
Cola di Rienzo (Cola di Rienzo)(real name Nicola di Lorenzo Gabrini, Gabrini) (1313-1354) was an Italian politician, he led the uprising of the trade and craft classes - the popolani in Rome in 1347, which led to the establishment of the Roman Republic in May 1347 (existed until December 1347) and August .

Statue of Cola di Rienza

In the center of Capitol Hill rises a bronze equestrian statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius.
It was created in 176 by an unknown sculptor; the statue survived during the destruction of pagan idols due to the fact that it was mistaken for the image of Constantine.
In the 8th century it was installed in Laterano, and in 1538 it was moved to the Capitol by order of Pope Paul III.
Since 2005, the statue has been replaced by a copy; the original is kept in the Capitoline Museum, located on the square.

Statue of Marcus Aurelius

Piazza del Campidogli, 1 www.museicapitolini.org
Closed Jan 1, Dec 25, Jan 1, May 1. 9.00-20.00

Facade Palace of Senators It is decorated with an elegant double staircase, in a niche there is a statue of Minerva, and a fountain is installed in front of the statue. On either side of Minerva are giant figures symbolizing the Nile and the Tiber, which were transferred here from the baths of Constantine at the Quirinal.
The palace is crowned by a 35-meter-high bell tower, built in 1580.
On the reverse side, the Palace of Senators has a common wall with Tabularia.

Basilica of Santa Maria in Aracoeli, made of red brick, is one of the first Christian churches built on the ruins of the pagan temple of Juno Moneta.

According to legend, the basilica houses the oldest Christian altar in the world, which existed even before the birth of Christ. How is this possible?
The legend tells of a vision of the Holy Virgin with a baby in her arms by Emperor Augustus. Augustus fell to his knees in awe, he was very amazed by the image that appeared and built an altar in his room, calling it "Ara Coeli", i.e. Altar of Heaven.
Confirmation of this legend can be found in the basilica - on the third column on the left there is an inscription "A cubiculo Augustorum" (August's Bedchamber).
In the 8th century a monastery was built on this site, which in 944 became the Benedictine monastery of Santa Maria in Capitolio. In the 12th century. Lorenzo Iapoco Cosmati installed an ambo in the church - a structure for reading the Holy Scriptures. In 1249 the church began to belong to the Franciscans and by the end of the 13th century. a new basilica was erected. And in 1348 a staircase leading to the church was built.
The interior of the basilica consists of three naves separated by white marble columns. In the main altar there is an image of the Madonna and Child (10th century)
The church houses a wooden sculpture of the Holy Child (XV century)

The ancient street Silver Slope (CLIVUS ARGENTARIUS) leads from the Capitol to the Forum of Caesar. It got its name from the silver workshops that were located along the street in the Middle Ages.

On Capitol Hill the oldest prison is located Rome - Mamertine (or Tulian - Tullianum). The Tullianum prison was built during the time of the 4th Roman king Ancus Marcius in the 7th century. BC. But it most likely received its name from the 6th king Servius Tullia (according to another version, from the 3rd king Tulla Hostilius).
In the 8th century the prison began to be called Mamertine.
The prison had two levels: an above-ground and an underground grotto.
In the 16th century was built over the prison Church of San Giuseppe dei Falegnami.
Many famous personalities were prisoners of the Mamertine prison. According to legend, Saint Peter languished in this prison, hence another name - San Pietro in Carcere.
Now there is a museum here. (open 9.00-19.00, session every 20 minutes, visit duration 40 minutes, ticket 10 euros)

Rome stands on seven hills, the smallest being the Capitol, located in the city center. The architectural works of art on it represent the greatness of the city and the Roman people. They have survived intact to this day. Many people want to walk through the famous square and feel the grandeur of the ancient buildings.

History of appearance

The creation of the current square began in 1536, when the arrival of Charles V was celebrated in Rome, the Capitoline Hill was not in the best condition, and Pope Paul III, dejected by this, decided to turn it into an ensemble of grandiose architectural buildings. Before this, after the fall of the empire, the hill was abandoned; for some time it was even called “Goat Hill”, as shepherds grazed goats on it.

The territory allocated for the future Capitoline Square in Rome looked better; it contained the decayed 10th-century Palace of Senators, the remains of the Tabularium and the 15th-century Palazzo Conservatori.

The architectural project was entrusted to the famous Michelangelo. The Capitol was completely built only at the beginning of the 17th century. The progress of the work was as follows:

1537-1539 drawing up a plan for the reconstruction of the structures remaining on the hill.
End of 1550 – partial implementation of the plan.
Beginning of the 17th century - completion of the construction of the Capitol according to Michelangelo's design. It was completed by the talented architect Dacomo della Porta.

The peculiarity of Capitol Square lies in the unique optical perception of space, which was skillfully played by the architect; it harmoniously merged with the features of the new city.

Modern Capitol Square

An interesting mystery is the execution of its cover, lined with the mysterious “patterns of Michelangelo”. The white stones draw a slightly elongated circle, which symbolizes the globe, and the arcs made around it are quite possibly parallels and meridians.

In the center of a circle formed from white stones stands a statue of Marcus Aurelius sitting on a horse with a raised hoof, which has been preserved in its original form since ancient times. But in fact, tourists are invited to look at a copy of the sculpture, since the original, after restoration in 1981, remained in the Palazzo Nuovo museum.

The square is surrounded on three sides by palaces:

Senators, the city municipality now sits there.
Conservatorium (Keepers), which has become a museum, which houses many ancient artifacts and animal sculptures. Among them you can see the symbol of Rome - the she-wolf who suckled the babies Romulus and Remus, the founders of the city.
The new palace, it has an art gallery.

There are three staircases around the square:

The central one is wide and flatter, created by Michelangelo, decorated with a border, and at the base it is guarded by ancient Egyptian marble lions.
To the right of it there is an inconspicuous but convenient narrow staircase.
On the left is the 124-step staircase leading to the Cathedral of Santa Maria in Aracele, which was opened in gratitude to the Virgin Mary for saving Rome from the plague.

How to get there?

It is located in the city center and can be reached on foot from the Colosseo metro station - Colosseum. You can also take buses No. 30, 81, 160, 85, 170, 810 to the stop called Ara Coeli-Piazza Venezia. Or take tram number 8, in which case you need to get to its final destination.

Time to visit Capitol Hill

It is always open for tourists; if during the day you can see all the architecture down to the smallest detail, then at night you will simply be delighted with the incredible and thoughtful illumination of all the buildings located on the square.

Museums and palaces are open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9.30 to 19.30. The cost of visiting is 15 euros, guide services are paid separately. The Temple of the Virgin Mary can be visited for free, but is only open until 19.00.

The Capitoline Hill is the lowest of the seven hills on which Rome arose. It is also small in area, but it is the most important and significant, and is directly related to the founding of Rome in 753 BC. The Capitoline Hill overlooks the valley in which the Forum is located.
In ancient times, the Capitoline Hill was an inaccessible cliff, on the top of which there were two temples - Jupiter Capitolinus, dedicated to Juno, Maneuver and Jupiter, as well as the temple of Juno Coin. IN Ancient Rome The Senate met on Capitol Square and the building of the state archive, the Tabularium, was located. Some of these structures were looted, burned or destroyed, others were rebuilt and changed their original purpose. As a result, the square became dilapidated and fell into such disrepair that in the 5th century AD. goats grazed around her.
1. This is what Capitol Hill looked like in ancient times (19th century engraving).

Capitol Hill received a new lease of life in 1536 thanks to the arrival of the Spanish King Charles V in Rome. Pope Paul III, as the owner of the city, simply felt ashamed of such a deplorable state of the Capitol. They decided to entrust work on the project to Michelangelo Buonarotti, the most famous court artist and architect at that time. Alas, he managed to realize only a small part of his plan. After Michelangelo's death, his students took over the restoration. The square acquired its final form, preserved to this day, only in 1654.
2. This is what the Capitoline Hill looked like in an engraving by Giovanni Piranesi

On the approach to the hill from the Theater of Marcellus, on the left stands the Women's Monastic Community of the Oblates of St. Francesco of Rome.
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On the opposite side we see the Tarpeian Rock, from where in ancient Rome criminals condemned to death were thrown.
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Currently, you can climb the Capitol Hill by three staircases - the first leads to the church, the second is the central one made of white marble with a border, created by Michelangelo, and the third, completely inconspicuous staircase is located on the right. To go upstairs and at the same time avoid crowds of tourists, you need to go a little to the right and find the gentle staircase that is used local residents to climb in comfort and in the shade. Using this staircase you can access the observation deck on Piazza Caffarelli, located in front of the palazzo of the same name. You can also climb the hill along two roads that go around the hill from the Forum. But these roads, in my opinion, are not so beautiful and interesting for tourists.
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From this platform there is a view of the central part of Rome.
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Cordonata
The Cordonata staircase is the name of the wide, gentle staircase leading to the Capitol. It was designed by the great Michelangelo. Its name comes from the Italian word “cordoni” - strip, border. The gentle rise of the staircase along its entire length is emphasized by stripes made of stone. Huge marches create a feeling of endless ascent, which is emphasized by the measured rhythm of wide steps, majestically and leisurely leading upward. The cordonata precedes the ceremonial ensemble of the Capitoline Square.
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Lion sculptures
At the base of the Cordonata there are two marble sculptures of ancient Egyptian lions, which also serve as fountains.
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Monument to Cola di Rienzo
As you rise, pay attention to the statue of a hooded man with a sword in his hand, located on the left. The sculpture of Cola di Rienzo by Girolamo Masini was installed in 1887. In 1347, he led a popular uprising, as a result of which a republic was established in Rome for several months. Cola di Rienzo proclaimed Rome the capital of the world, and himself “the tribune of freedom, peace and justice.” His bold plan for a united Italy, centered around Rome as its capital, turned out to be a utopia. The city-republics, who did not want to lose their independence, began to fight against the newly created republic. Cola di Rienzo was forced to flee. In 1354, he appeared again in Rome as an envoy of Pope Innocent VI, who wanted to use his popularity to restore papal power in Rome. The townspeople welcomed Cola di Rienzo as a winner, and a republic was again proclaimed in the city. The love of the people, as often happens, soon gave way to hatred - in the same year, the people of Rome rebelled against their former leader, during this uprising Cola di Rienzo was killed by a crowd on Capitol Hill.
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Dioscuri: Castor and Pollux
The solemn march of the Cordonata is completed by equestrian statues of the Dioscuri, also found during excavations at the Theater of Pompey in 1583. These are Roman copies of Greek sculptural examples. The legendary twins Castor and Pollux were born by the beautiful Leda from Zeus, who took the form of a swan. Gemini was often depicted taming horses - they were considered the patrons of horses.
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Mario Trophies
Along the balustrade (to the left and right of the Dioscuri) are statues of Emperor Constantine, his third son Emperor Constantius II, two milestones from the Via Apia and two sculptures from the fountain “Trofei di Mario” (built in honor of Gaius Marius, an ancient Roman commander and politician) .
Along the balustrade are the so-called “trophies of Mary” - statues of Emperor Constantine and his son Constantine.
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Capitol Square
Capitol Square - architectural ensemble on Capitol Hill. In 1536, Michelangelo Buonarroti was entrusted with implementing the desire of Paul III to create a new look for the square. One of the best masters of the Renaissance drew up a detailed plan for the reconstruction of existing buildings, created a project for the construction of Palazzo Nuovo and developed the design of the updated Capitoline Square. The area itself is small in size, but Michelangelo managed to visually enlarge it due to elliptical rays.
Work progressed extremely slowly, and at the time of Michelangelo's death in 1564, not even half of what was planned had been completed. The work was continued by his student Giacomo Della Porta, and then Giacomo’s student Girolamo Rainaldi, together with his son Carl Rainaldi. The Capitoline Square was finally ready only in 1654.
19. This is what the square looked like in the 18th century. engraved by Paolo da Reggio

The square is interesting with the Cordonata staircase, a copy of the equestrian statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius and three magnificent palaces housing the exhibitions of the Capitoline Museum. According to the plan of Michelangelo Buonarroti, the square took on a trapezoidal shape, bounded on three sides by palace buildings. The central place was given to the Palace of Senators. The columns, two tiers long, are installed along the entire perimeter of the palace façade. The ground floor is decorated with pilasters, between which there are two platbands. The bell tower rising above the building became the central vertical axis of the entire Capitoline Square.
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Equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius
Originally, the gilded equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius was installed on the slope of the Capitol opposite the Roman Forum. This is the only equestrian statue that has survived from antiquity, since in the Middle Ages it was believed that it depicts Emperor Constantine I the Great, whom the Christian Church canonized as a “saint equal to the apostles.” In the 12th century, the statue was moved to Piazza Lateran. In the 15th century, Vatican librarian Bartolomeo Platina compared the images on the coins and recognized the identity of the horseman. In 1538 it was placed on the Capitol by order of Pope Paul III. The base for the statue was made by Michelangelo. Now there is a copy on the square, and the original, saved from moisture and pigeons, is stored in a separate room of the Palace of Conservatives.
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Palace of Senators
Built in the 1st century BC, the Palace of Senators served as an archive (Tabularium), but was empty for a long time in the Middle Ages, gradually collapsing. The noble Corsi family, taking advantage of its location on the crest of a hill, built their castle above it. The second life of the palace began during the reconstruction of the entire square. Now the city hall is located here, so most of the premises are closed to the public. You can only get into the Lapidarium, a museum dedicated to the inscriptions on stone slabs telling about life and politics in Ancient Rome, and the ancient underground corridors of the Tabularium.
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Michelangelo also designed a two-flight staircase leading to the Palace of Senators. In a niche under the stairs there is a porphyry statue of “Rejoicing Rome”, in front of which there is a fountain. The goddess of Rome holds a ball - a symbol of the dominance of Rome. Some scholars believe that this is a statue of Minerva.
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On both sides of the stairs there are statues that symbolize the great rivers Nile and Tiber. The reclining figure with the sphinx is the personification of the Nile and symbolizes the Eastern Empire. The reclining figure with a she-wolf is the personification of the Tiber River and symbolizes the Western Empire.
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If you go around the Palace of Senators on the right and pass under the ancient arch, you can reach observation deck, which offers one of the best (and probably most popular) views of the Roman Forum.
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Two other historic buildings are the Palazzo Conservatori and the Palazzo Nuovo, which house the Capitoline Museum, which houses sculpture and painting. Separate photo reports will be dedicated to these palaces.

Insula Araceli
At the foot of the Capitol there are ruins of an insula - an apartment building. Tacitus also mentioned this structure at the northern end of the Capitol, which, according to him, had the same height as the hill itself, and thus reached a height of up to 30 meters
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The Basilica of Santa Maria in Araceli is the Church of the Virgin Mary, located at the top of the Capitoline Hill. Due to its central location, it always played an exceptional role in the life of medieval Rome. The name "Aracheli" can be translated as "altar of heaven", or "heavenly altar". On the site of today's basilica, in ancient times there was a temple of the goddess Juno Moneta ("Moneta" translated from Latin means "warning" or "adviser"). The notorious geese lived here, warning the sleeping inhabitants of Rome of danger. On the territory of the temple, Roman money was minted, which began to be called after Juno Coins - coins. From Latin this word was borrowed by many languages. A separate report will be devoted to the Basilica.
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Vittoriano
Vittoriano is a monument in honor of the first king of a united Italy, Victor Emmanuel II. Located on the slope of Capitol Hill. The project was designed by Giuseppe Sacconi in the Empire spirit of ancient Roman architecture. Construction lasted from 1885 to 1935. Part of the monument is a twelve-meter bronze equestrian statue of the king. Below it is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the so-called “Altar of the Fatherland.” The monument is characterized by excessive eclecticism and a congestion of various details characteristic of ancient Roman buildings (columns, bas-reliefs, statues, etc.). According to many, the monument stands out unfavorably among other Roman buildings, so various condescending and contemptuous names for this monument are common among the Romans: “Typewriter”, “Wedding Cake”, “False Jaws” and others.
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There are two fountains in front of the building. The right fountain (by Pietro Canonica) is dedicated to the Tyrrhenian Sea, which washes the peninsula from the west, and its symbols are the she-wolf, the emblem of Rome, and the siren Parthenope, the symbol of Naples. The left one (by Emilio Quadrelli) symbolizes the Adriatic Sea, located east of Italy, which is represented by the Venetian Lion of St. Mark. Near the left fountain you can see the burial of Gaius Publius Bibulo - one of the few public graves in Rome. The monument dates back to the first century BC.
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The main part of the Vittoriano is formed by a monumental neoclassical portico with columns of the Corinthian order. It is flanked on either side by two pronaos, also of the Corinthian order, reminiscent of the Temple of Nike Apteros on the Athenian Acropolis. The pronaos are topped with bronze statues depicting the quadriga of Victoria, the goddess of victory. The left one symbolizes Unity and was made by sculptor Carlo Fontana. The right quadriga is Paolo Bartolini's Freedom of Work. On the second tier, immediately in front of the pronaos, four triumphal columns with bronze statues of Victoria standing on a ball were installed in 1911; originally these statues were gilded, the height of each together with the ball is 3.7 m. From left to right, if you look at the facade of the monument, are Victoria by N. Cantalamessa Papotti (with a palm branch and a snake), A. Apolloni (with a sword), M . Rutelli and A. Zocchi - both holding laurel wreaths.
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Altar of the Fatherland
The projecting front part, reached by a staircase and at the top of which stands a monument to Victor Emmanuel II, is the Altar of the Fatherland; sometimes the entire monument is called that way. It was created by the sculptor Angelo Zanelli, who won the competition in 1906. In the middle of the ledge stands a statue of the goddess Roma on a golden background. The subjects of the bas-reliefs on the sides of it are inspired by Virgil’s “Bucolics” and “Georgics”. The left bas-relief represents Labor; from right to left are allegorical images of Agriculture, Cattle Breeding, Harvest, Vintage and Irrigation, then the winged genius of Labor ascends a large triumphal plow, followed by Industry. The right bas-relief symbolizes Love for the Fatherland; it depicts from left to right three women bearing the honorary wreaths of Rome, followed by the labarums (standards of the legions), followed by the triumphal chariot of Love of the Fatherland and the Hero, and finally the sacred fire of the Fatherland appears. Inside the Altar of the Fatherland there is the Tomb of the unknown soldier who died in the First World War. There is always a guard of honor in front of the grave.
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Monument to Victor Emmanuel II
In 1889, the sculptor Enrico Chiaradia was commissioned to create an equestrian statue of Victor Emmanuel II; after the death of the sculptor in 1901, it was completed by Emilio Gallori, and in 1911 it was installed in its place.
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Around the monument there are six statues, each 6 m high, representing the “Values of the Italians”. In front of the monument are two separate bronzes: on the left is “Thought” by Giulio Monteverde, on the right is “Action” by Francesco Gerace. The remaining four statues are made of Botticino marble: on the left, closer to the center, “Concord” by Ludovico Pogliaghi, further from the center – “The Power of Work” by Augusto Rivalta; symmetrically to the right are “Sacrifice” by Leonardo Bistolfi (closer to the center) and “Right” by Ettore Jimenez (further from the center).
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Vittoriano is home to two museums: the Risorgimento and the Banners of the Navy. I didn’t have much time to visit museums, so I’m happy with what I managed to see. There was also no time to visit observation deck on the roof of Vittoriano, and the weather was not particularly conducive to filming.
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Several properties nearby Capitol Hill.
One of the “talking statues” is Madame Lucretia. The three-meter Roman bust is in poor condition, probably depicting the Egyptian goddess Isis, her priestess or Empress Faustina. The bust was given to Lucrezia d'Alagna, mistress of Alfonso of Aragon, King of Naples. She moved to Rome after Alfonso's death in 1458. The only female "talking" statue in Rome.
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Inner courtyard of the Venice Palace
The Palace of Venice is the former representation of the Venetian Republic in Papal Rome. The palace was built around a medieval tower in 1455 and is considered one of the first Renaissance monuments in Rome. The stone for construction was taken straight from the Colosseum. The first inhabitant of the palazzo was the Venetian cardinal Pietro Barbo (later Pope Paul II). After the transition of Venice to the Habsburgs, the palace served as the residence of the Austrian ambassador to Italy. In the 1930s the palace became the seat of Mussolini's party; The Duce often spoke from the balcony of the palazzo.
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Sculptures in front of the Rome Provincial Administration building
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Trajan's Column
Trajan's Column is a column in Trajan's Forum in Rome, erected by Apollodorus of Damascus in 113 AD. in honor of Trajan's victories over the Dacians.
Marcus Ulpius Nerva Trajan, better known as Trajan, was a Roman emperor who reigned from 98-117 AD. The column is made of 20 blocks of Carrara marble, has a height of 38 m (including the pedestal) and a diameter of 3.6 m (at the bottom). The inside of the column is hollow: it contains a spiral staircase with 185 steps leading to the platform on the capital. The monument weighs about 40 tons. The column's trunk is spiraled 23 times by a 190 m long ribbon with reliefs depicting episodes of the war between Rome and Dacia. Initially it was crowned with an eagle, later with a statue of Trajan. In 1588, instead of it, Pope Sixtus V installed a statue of the Apostle Peter by sculptors Leonardo Sormani and Tomaso della Porta. At the base of the column there is a door leading to the hall where the golden urns with the ashes of Trajan and his wife Pompeii Plotina were placed. In 1162, a decree was issued that anyone who damaged Trajan's Column would be put to death.
63. This is what the column looked like in the engraving by Giovanni Piranesi.

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Traditional short video about Capitol Hill:

Monastic community of the Oblates of St. Francesco of Rome	41.8930573N 12.4808791E
Caffarelli Square	41.8929375N 12.4817535E
Cordonata	41.8936344N 12.4822766E
Lion sculptures	41.8938031N 12.4820016E
Monument to Cola di Rienzo	41.8937242N 12.4823248E
Dioscuri	41.8935645N 12.4825823E
Trofeo Mario	41.8933758N 12.4824938E
Capitol Square	41.893275N 12.4830651E
Sculpture of Marcus Aurelius	41.8933269N 12.4829364E
Palace of Senators	41.8930513N 12.4835935E
Fountain of the Goddess of Rome	41.8931492N 12.4832904E
Observation deck at the Roman Forum	41.8924733N 12.4836364E
New Palace	41.8935864N 12.4831778E
Palace of Conservatives	41.8931072N 12.4827352E
Insula Araceli	41.8940916N 12.4822792E
Basilica of Santa Maria in Araceli	41.8939578N 12.4828747E
Vittoriano	41.8945268N 12.4831241E
Altar of the Fatherland	41.8949421N 12.4829176E
Monument to King Victor Emmanuel II	41.8947924N 12.4830008E
Fountain of the Tyrrhenian Sea	41.894982N 12.4823275E
Adriatic Sea Fountain	41.8952096N 12.4833816E
Madame Lucretia	41.8957128N 12.4813136E
Palace Venice	41.8962139N 12.4817804E
Administration of the Province of Rome	41.896735N 12.4836606E
Trajan's Column	41.8958286N 12.4842802E

30s XVI century On behalf of Pope Paul III, Michelangelo begins designing the Piazza Capitolo (at the top of the Capitoline Hill) in Rome.

The design and construction of the square began with the installation of an equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius in its center.

The square as a kind of “creative laboratory” for Michelangelo during the construction of St. Peter’s Cathedral.

Innovations from Michelangelo:

1. Clear symmetry of the city square,

2. Not continuous, but open-ended development along the perimeter,

3. A new interpretation of the monument as an independent element of the square.

4. The monument as a module of the order system of the surrounding buildings.

The entrance is via a staircase-ramp cut into the hill. The outline of the space is formed by the identical buildings of the Capitoline Museum and the Conservatori Palace, forming a symmetrical trapezoidal plan. In the center is the Palace of Senators. The square is open from the entrance to the city, limited by a parapet on which antique statues are installed.

On a small scale (depth 80 m, width 40 to 60 m), the area looks monumental.

From the point of view of the history of architecture, the Renaissance is replaced by Baroque.

Baroque features in the layout of the square:

– allegorical meaning of sculptures, special paving (Capitol as the center of ancient Rome and the Roman Empire);

– The perception of area is not axial, but as it moves in a circle (ellipse);

– Optical effects (apparent parallelism of buildings; ellipse of paving, contracting into a circle; appearance of a statue of Marcus Aurelius when climbing stairs, etc.).

1 – Palace of Senators; 2 – Capitoline Museum; 3 – Conservatory Palace (Museum of Rarities); In the center of the square is the equestrian monument of Marcus Aurelius.

14. Piazza del Popolo and its architectural and planning composition.

The square adjoined the northern gate of the city, i.e. to the main entrance to the city from Europe.

Until the 15th century, it was poorly built up and was a kind of “transshipment point” at the entrance to the city.

XVI century During the planning work, Domenico Fontana placed an obelisk in the center of the trapezoidal square.

The construction of a three-beam highway system begins from the square.

Second half of the 17th century. on the opposite side of the square from the entrance, two churches are being built - Santa Maria di Monte Santo and Santa Maria dei Miracoli (C. Rainaldi and C. Fontana). They closed the space of the square.

At the beginning of the 19th century. The area acquired an oval shape.

Street opening is small, approx. 23 degrees (about 45 in total), which, however, allows you to see all three perspectives in one picture plane.

(in Versailles - the disclosure is greater - at the limit of perception, in St. Petersburg even more - it is impossible to see all three streets at the same time).

1 – Gate del Popolo;

2 – obelisk;

3 – Church of Santa Maria di Monte Santo;

4 – Church of Santa Maria di Miracoli.

15. St. Square Peter's in Rome.

Construction of the square began in the 17th century. under the direction of Lorenzo Bernini, lasted approx. 10 years (1657-1667). (The last large-scale building of the Renaissance and Baroque period in Rome).

The dimensions of the oval axes are 200 and 130 m. The depth of the trapezoid adjacent to the cathedral is 125 m.

In Bernini's initial sketches there are options for a square and a round (more closed, non-baroque) area.

At one time, the site of the square was marked by an Egyptian obelisk (it was erected by Domenico Fontana 70 years before the design of the square).

Features of the square (can be classified as a “baroque square”)

1. open loop,

2. perception is not frontal, but when moving in a circle,

3. allegorical (scale oval as a symbol of the Colosseum)

4. optical effects (changes in the proportions of the fountains flanking the central obelisk, the illusion of the “embracing” space of the galleries).

p.s. (not necessary)

Some of Bernini's contemporaries considered the square unfinished.

So, at the end of the 17th century. Carlo Fontana (not to be confused with Domenico) criticized Bernini's project, proposing to add a trapezoidal gallery to the square, ending with a bell tower.

Behind the bell tower, an outer area was added towards the Tiber, with an opening angle corresponding to the viewing angle from which the cathedral is visible.

Rome is located on seven hills. The smallest in size and height, but the most significant in historical and artistic value is called Capitoline. Every tourist tries to visit this place to see with his own eyes the place where the Eternal City arose.

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Rome has many beautiful and unique places: cathedrals, monuments to famous personalities, fountains and palaces. The most impressive is Capitol Hill; its historical and cultural values leave no one indifferent. According to legend, 2.5 thousand years ago Romulus (one of the founding brothers of Rome), standing on the top of a hill, saw eagles soaring in the sky. Near this place he decided to found a city. Historians have not reached a consensus on the origin of the name of the hills. There are two versions, according to one it bears the name of Jupiter Capitolinus, whose temple stood long before the appearance of Romulus. Here was the sanctuary of the Sabine tribes; they erected a temple to Jupiter and prayed to him, making sacrifices.

The second version is from the word “kaput” (translated as head), since the Senate was located on the hill, where the most eminent and noble dignitaries of that time sat. In ancient times, a temple to Jupiter, Juno and Minerva was built on Capitol Hill; there were always a lot of people in the square; the Senate met here, important issues were decided, and trials were held. The building of the Mamertine prison, which also stands on the hill, has still been preserved. It is already more than 2700 years old. According to some sources, the date of construction dates back to the 6th century, according to others, it was built in the 4th century BC. Initially, it was a two-level building; in its dungeon both important dignitaries and ordinary citizens languished in anticipation of the execution of the sentence.

According to legend, the apostles Peter and Paul were imprisoned in this prison before their execution. When the prison in XYI ceased to function, an altar was installed in the dungeon, and pilgrims still come here to worship. Subsequently, the Church of Joseph the Carpenter was erected above the dungeon. In ancient times, on the territory of the Capitol there were streets with trading stalls and shops where artisans sold their products. Some have survived to this day, for example, Silver, where, according to the name, silver products were sold.

At the foot of the Aricheli Temple there are ancient buildings - insulas, in fact, this is an apartment hostel, in the image of which modern hotels and inns began to be built. The first multi-storey buildings appeared in the 3rd century BC, and the mass construction of “communal apartments” in Rome began in the 1st century. Insulas were rented, and the lower the floor, the more expensive the cost of living and the more wealthy people settled in it. There were even sewerage and running water on the first floors. Houses were located close to each other, so entire neighborhoods were often destroyed by fires. They quickly collapsed because they were built in violation of the rules and fell into disrepair, but such “apartments” were not cheap.

Michelangelo and the Renaissance of the Capitol

The ancient buildings required restoration; Pope Paul III commissioned this work to be carried out by the famous sculptor and architect Michelangelo. Michelangelo (6 March 1475 - 18 February 1564) designed many buildings, including St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. From the late thirties, he began to refurbish the Capitoline Square. Unfortunately, Michelangelo died before completing the construction; this was done by his students and followers.

Capitol Square is considered unique in its beauty and harmony - in its central part of the square is the Palace of Senators. On one side of it the Palazzo Nuovo was erected, on the other - the Palace of the Conservatives, they were built according to the same project, so they are exactly the same. They now house museums displaying paintings by old masters, clothing from different eras, dishes, coins and figurines.

In the center of the square there is a sculpture of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, emperor and philosopher. It's a copy antique statue. On one side of the square you can go down an ancient staircase, which is decorated with statues of Egyptian lions and sculptures of marble twins - Pollux and Castor. They were discovered in Pompeii and transported to the capital of Italy in the XYI century. Below are statues of Constantine and Constantine II, sculptures from an ancient fountain and mileposts from the Allian Way.

Palace of Senators

The most remarkable building is the Palace of Senators, built in the first century BC. the architect Cornelius. The Palace initially housed an archive for a long time; in the Middle Ages it was empty and gradually collapsed. The revival of the palace began in the thirties of the XYI century, when Pontiff Paul III entrusted Michelangelo with the reconstruction of the buildings and arrangement of the square, which was called Piazza del Campidolio. According to the architect's plan, the dominant and most majestic building was supposed to be the central building - the Palace of Senators. Since 1871, the palace has been the residence of the mayor, so most of the premises are closed to tourists. You can visit the Lapidarium, where antique stone slabs with inscriptions are exhibited. Downstairs, in the old part, you can see the archive - the Tabularium.

Palace of Conservatives

The first building of the Palace of the Conservatives was erected under Pontiff Nicholas Y in the second quarter of the 19th century. Literally translated, the word means “Palace of Guardians.” Senators, masters and judges, who were called conservatives, sat in this room, which gave the name to the building. All power was concentrated in the hands of these people. But over time, papal power increased and the importance of the city decreased significantly, the treasury was depleted, which led to the desolation and dilapidation of the building. In the middle of the XYI century, the palace, like the entire architectural ensemble of the square, was reconstructed by Michelangelo.

Now the building houses museums, the first exhibits belonged to Pope Sixtus IY; in 1471, he donated antique sculptures made of bronze, including the sculpture of the legendary “Capitolian She-Wolf”, who, according to legend, suckled Ram and Romulus. In the central hall, richly painted with frescoes, marble ancient Roman busts are exhibited. On the second floor there is a gallery (Pinakothek). It presents works by Caravaggio, Van Dyck, Tintoretto and other famous artists. The Castellana Hall exhibits ancient Greek and Etruscan objects, as well as jewelry.

Palace Nuovo

Palazzo Nuevo (New Palace), as the name suggests, is the newest building, erected in the 1800s. As Michelangelo Buonarotti intended, it was a copy of the Palace of the Conservatives. It was originally built as a public museum and was opened to the public in 1734. Nowadays, part of the Capitoline Museums is located in the palace. Visitors can see sculptures, vases brought from Greece, paintings by artists, and ancient mosaics. In the courtyard there are parts of buildings and fragments of the statue of Constantine - a hand, a foot, a head.
In the modern part of the building there is an original bronze sculpture of Marcus Aurelius - a unique exhibit of this kind, preserved from ancient times. A beautiful Scalone staircase leads to the second floor of the palazzo; it is richly decorated with relief paintings of ancient subjects and inlaid with marble.

Basilica of Santa Maria in Araceli

The Church of the Holy Virgin Mary was founded in the 13th century. The Capitol is a hill with two low peaks, on the smaller of which the church is built. According to ancient legends, a temple to Jupiter, his wife and daughter Minerva, the Goddess of Wisdom, was erected on this peak. Then she had her own palace - the Temple of Juno-Moneta, and it was on this site that the Church of the Virgin Mary was subsequently erected.

Historians do not have accurate information about the first buildings. They rely on medieval legends that say: when Emperor Augustus reigned, the senators decided to build a church in his honor. The emperor wanted to ask the gods whether it was worth doing this and went to the hill, wanting to sacrifice pigeons to them.

On the way he met the Sibyl, a soothsayer. She exclaimed that she saw the birth of God; soon they would only pray to him. The Emperor installed the Heavenly Altar where the sorceress had a vision. Then the church of Santa Maria in Araceli arose here; the first documentary mention of it dates back to the first quarter of the 14th century. A Greek monastery was built in the 6th century, then in the 9th century the Benedictines built catholic church. In the 13th century, it passed to the Franciscan Order, and they carried out significant reconstruction of the building. In the Middle Ages, people not only prayed here, but meetings of the people were held - they proclaimed laws and resolved economic issues.

In 1347, Cola di Rienzo, a politician, took power in Rome and ordered the construction of a grand staircase that led from the base of the hill to the entrance of the church. In 1464, the basilica was restored again, in the middle of the 18th century a sacristy and a bell tower were added to it, in 1565 a choir was erected, and in 1575 a beautiful carved ceiling was made in honor of the victory of the Italian fleet over the Turkish. Nowadays, the cathedral is open to believers and tourists who want to admire the beautiful interior design of the basilica.