  Chiesa e Monastero dell'Immacolata Concezione di Maria (Book 8) (Map C2) (Day 4) (View C6) (Rione Sant'Eustachio), (Rione Colonna) and (Rione Campo Marzio) In this page:
We are in the heart of Campo Marzio and this plate opens Book VIII
with one of the oldest nunneries of Rome, dating back to the VIIIth century,
when some nuns fled from Constantinople (to escape the fury of the Iconoclasts)
with the body of Saint Gregorio Nazanzieno. Behind the church two streets
leading to Montecitorio
and to the church of S. Maria Maddalena. The view is taken from the green dot in the 1748 map below.
In the description below the plate Vasi made reference to: 1) Palazzo Nari; 2) Street leading to S. Maria Maddalena; 3) Street leading to Montecitorio.
The map shows also 4) Immacolata Concezione in Campo Marzio; 5) S. Gregorio Nazanzieno; 6) Casa dei Preti della Missione; 7) Palazzo Casali.
The dotted line in the small map delineates
the borders between Rione Sant'Eustachio (lower left quarter) Campo Marzio (top left quarter) and Rione Colonna (right quarters).
The entrance to the church has been altered and the reliefs are lost.
Recent excavations in the area brought to light a Roman sarcophagus with
an elegant decoration, which I used for my background.
The building was completed at the end of the XVIIth century based on the project of Giovanni Antonio de' Rossi. From the square of Campo Marzio one enters a small courtyard and from there can access the church.
The courtyard is contiguous to the cloister of the old nunnery where a church in honour of S. Gregorio Nazanzieno was built. The church is almost invisible from the outside. The bell tower dates back to the XIIth century and is similar to many other medieval bell towers. Today the nunnery, the cloister and the church are owned by the Italian Lower Chamber (Camera dei Deputati).
Unfortunately Palazzo Nari or Naro has lost the covered balcony we see in the plate, where the ladies could watch, without necessarily being watched. The main portal was designed in the XVIIIth century while an earlier portal decorated with the moons of the Nari's heraldic symbol is in Piazza delle Coppelle.
Palazzo Casali has lost its Renaissance appearance and only a window in an adjoining house can give an idea of how it looked in the XVIth century. However the main entrance is still decorated with medieval and baroque reliefs showing the heraldic symbols of the Casali.
The plate mentions the street leading to Montecitorio. The large
building between Immacolata Concezione and Palazzo
di Montecitorio is now occupied by offices supporting the parliamentary
activities of the latter. It was built in 1642 to host the missionaries
and still there are some indications of its former use. The building opposite
Palazzo della Missione was for some time known as Palazzo Braschi, before
Pius VI built a new family palace near Piazza di
Pasquino.
Next plate in Book 8: Monastero dello Spirito Santo Next step in Day 4 itinerary: S. Maria Maddalena You have completed your tour of Rione Sant'Eustachio! Start your tour of Rione Colonna: next step: S. Lorenzo in Lucina Start your tour of Rione Campo Marzio: next step: S. Nicola de' Perfetti
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All images © 1999 - 2003 by Roberto Piperno. Write to romapip@quipo.it