Campidoglio, Province of Rome

Campidoglio - details and images

On the Campidoglio has been raised by the Romans more important temples in those days. These include the Temple of Juno, the Temple of Virtus and the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus Capitolinus, the most important temple in ancient Rome. The latter was built in 509 BC and was almost as big as the Parthenon in Athens. Also there is the Campidoglio hill Tabularium, built in 79 BC, which was used as the main archive of the Emperor. Hill and the Temple of Jupiter in particular have been symbols of Rome in the time it was it was really caput Mundi.

In the Middle Ages, became the center of government Campidoglio. More buildings were constructed and a series of landscaped spaces. When Carlos V of Spain, Holy Roman Emperor of the West wanted to visit Rome in 1536, the Capitoline Hill is in a very bad state, such as Pope Paul III Farnese appointed Michelangelo to design a new market - Piazza del Campidoglio - and redecorate buildings around the market.

Michelangelo came with a very original design of the market, including an interesting model for the pavement. Palazzo building or redecorating project included Senatorio nearby Roman senate seat. Palazzo dei Conservatives suffered and it changes according to Michelangelo's plans. All Michelangelo also designed a new building - the Palazzo Nuovo which had raised just opposite the Palazzo dei Conservatives. Plans also include construction of a great artist monumental stairs, the cord, which was supposed to link the new market hill. Construction market began in 1546 but only at the entrance staircase Senatorio Palazzo was completed by the time when Michelangelo died in 1564. The entire project was completed only in the 17th century but much of Michelangelo's plans were met.

Long staircase that leads to the Piazza del Campidoglio is known as the cordon. It is decorated with statues of Egyptian granite lei at the base and top of the stairs there are two classical and imposing statues of Castor and Polux's.

In the center of the square there is a replica of an equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius. The original statue is located in the Palazzo Nuovo which is part of the Capitoline Museums.

In Piazza del Campidoglio is located just three buildings. The left, coming from the cord, is the Palazzo Nuovo. The building was designed by Michelangelo, but the construction was carried through by the brothers Carlo and Girolamo Rainald in 1654. In 1734, Pope Clement XII century art collections open to the public, thus giving birth to her first public museum in the world. Today Palazzo Nuovo is part of the Capitoline museums and special exhibits which include classical sculptures and "Galata Morente (Galul Dying) and huge statues of Mars and Minerva.

Senatorio Palazzo is the central building of the Piazza del Campidoglio. The name derives from the functionality that's done until 1870, as head of the Senate. Then he became mayor of the city of Rome. In the first phase was built as a fortress on top of the ancient Tabularium 11th century and then rebuilt in the 13th and 14th centuries. The current appearance of the project is an adaptation of the 16th century by Michelangelo.

Opposite the front of the Palazzo Nuovo Palazzo dei is Conservative. In this building was the headquarters city management in the Middle Ages. This "palazzo" is now part of the Capitoline Museums and has a collection consisting mainly of sculptures and paintings.

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