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February 12, 2005 additions

In plate 63: Palazzo Colonna
Palazzo Muti Papazzurri

Palazzo Papazzurri

Palazzo Muti Papazzurri, located in nearby Piazza della Pilotta, was designed by Mattia de' Rossi in 1660, most likely on the occasion of the marriage between Pompeo Muti Papazzurri and Maria Isabella Massimo. Unfortunately the light and elegant building designed by this scholar of Bernini was largely modified in 1909 and even the frames of the windows were replaced by very dull ones. The print is a 1699 work by Alessandro Specchi, an architect himself.

In plate 109: SS. Celso e Giuliano
Palazzo Vecchiarelli

Palazzo Vecchiarelli

This large late Renaissance building was most likely designed by Bartolomeo Ammannati, a Florentine sculptor and architect who often worked in Rome, employed by popes and families who came from Tuscany. It is one of the very few historical palaces which has not been repainted in recent years and because of its current poor state it does not attract a lot of attention, even though it has one of the first and most elegant Roman loggias.

In plate 128: Chiesa della SS. Trinità
Caffè Greco and Babington's Tea Rooms

Caffè Greco and Babington's Tea Rooms

In 1760 a certain Nicola di Maddalena levantino (according to the parish records) opened a coffee-shop at the end of Via dei Condotti which soon became popular among the many foreigners living in the area. Most likely Nicola came from one of the Greek islands belonging to Venice and this explains the name of his shop. He had to face the competition of Caffè degli Inglesi (now lost) which opened in that same year in Piazza di Spagna. Some rooms of Caffè Greco are decorated with paintings showing views of Rome.
Babington's Tea Rooms, a very English establishment, in a way replacing Caffè degli Inglesi, was opened in 1893 in the building to the left of the Spanish Steps.

In plate 129 ii: Chiesa di S. Maria del Rosario
Villa Massimo alla Balduina

Villa Massimo alla Balduina

Abito alla Balduina "I live in Balduina" is not only an indication of where you live, but a sort of status symbol which says that you are very wealthy (or that you pretend to be). It is very expensive to buy or rent a flat in this modern quarter of Rome, built on the rear part of Monte Mario on the site of some old villas, chiefly of Villa Massimo. The pines which here and there embellish the most expensive houses belong to the old villa.
Its main building still exists at No 296 of Via della Balduina, behind a modern church. The two wings have lost their late XVIIth century decoration, but the central part retains it. From this point the Massimo enjoyed a great (although remote) view over Rome.

In plate 137: S. Maria in Vallicella
Palazzo Capponi Stampa

Palazzo Capponi Stampa

In his guide of Rome, Vasi mentions tre magnifici palazzi (three magnificent palaces) in Piazza dell'Orologio. The most famous one was Palazzo di Santo Spirito, designed by Borromini as headquarters for Banco di S. Spirito, the papal bank. Eventually the offices of the bank were located in another palace by the same name and the palace built by Borromini was bought by Cardinal Spada. Unfortunately in the XIXth century it was almost totally modified and only the courtyard retains some traces of the old building.
The second palace Vasi had in mind is Palazzo Boncompagni Corcos; the third one has a lot of names, due to its many owners. Initially it belonged to the Orsini, then it was acquired by the Capponi, an important Florentine family. Its elegant stucco decoration was added by the Stampa, a family from Milan, in the early XVIIIth century (you can see a detail of the portal in a page dedicated to the Laughing Masks of Rome).

In plate 147: Chiesa e Monastero di S. Egidio
Palazzo Del Cinque

Palazzo Del Cinque

In the XVIIIth century the Del Cinque family built a very decorated "apartment block" near Piazza di Montecitorio, but the origin of the family can be traced in this simpler Renaissance house in Trastevere. The madonnella shown above is in the nearby alley by the same name.

In plate 180: Monte di Pietà
Palazzetto Alivrandi

Palazzetto Alivrandi

The small palace shown by Vasi on the left side of the print has a very interesting courtyard where an open staircase leads to the various apartments. It is a design very unusual in Rome, but largely utilized in northern Italy, especially for buildings with many small apartments.

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All images © 2005 by Roberto Piperno. Write to romapip@quipo.it (alternative e-mail address at romeartlover@katamail.com)