Latium Rome - Capitol - Piazza Venezia - Sights

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Capitol & Piazza Venezia

Here, on the Capitol, the smallest of Rome's seven hills, was the cult center of the city, and this is where all triumphal marches ended: The most important temple in Rome was the Temple of Juppiter Capitolinus on the Capitol. The Capitoline Square, the Capitoline Museums, the Church of Ara Coeli and the Piazza Venezia are close together and can be easily visited on foot.

1. Capitol

The Capitol was the center of the Roman world and is still the seat of the city government today. The Capitol is one of Rome's seven hills and one of Rome's most visited attractions. During the Renaissance, Michelangelo completely redesigned the hill, a wonderful ensemble that has survived to this day. Two flights of stairs provide access to the Capitol. First, the very steep staircase that leads directly to the Church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli, and then the gently rising ramped staircase designed by Michelangelo, called the Cordonata. When entering these stairs, one recognizes on the left an inconspicuous monument of the medieval Roman tribune Cola di Rienzo. At the top of the stairs are the two statues of the Dioscuri Castor and Pollux.

Cordonata - The ramped staircase (Cordonata) designed by Michelangelo leads up to the Capitol Square. The beautiful staircase is decorated with lions, monuments and statues. When you get to the top of the stairs, you will see Capitoline Square in front of you (in the middle of the square is the equestrian statue of Marc Aurel), on the left the Palazzo Nuovo, on the right the Palazzo dei Conservatori, and directly in front of you the Palazzo Senatorio (here has the mayor of Rome has his official residence).

Musei capitolini - On Capitoline Square, to the left and right of the square, are the Palace of the Conservators (Palazzo dei Conservatori) and the New Palace (Palazzo Nuovo). The Palace of the Conservators was built by Giacomo della Porta based on plans by Michelangelo. The New Palace was designed by Michelangelo and built by Rainaldi in the 17th century. Today the two palaces are part of the Capitoline Museums (musei capitolini).

Link: http://www.museicapitolini.org/en - Information on the Musei Capitolini, in English.

2. Santa Maria in Aracoeli & Caffarelli terrace

Santa Maria in Aracoeli - To the left of the gently sloping Cordonata ramp staircase that leads up to the Capitoline Square, there is a steep staircase (called the Aracoeli staircase) that leads up to the Church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli. The church is right next to the National Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II.

Café of the Capitol Museum (Café Capitolino)- You can sit outside on this panoramic terrace (called Terrazza Caffarelli) and enjoy the view over the roofs of Rome, or have a coffee or a small meal on the comfortable sofas on the covered part of the terrace . This viewing terrace is also open to non-museum visitors. Since the entrance to the palace and the terrace are not so easy to find, we give a small description here. If you go up the stairs to the Campidoglio, you should immediately turn right at the top. You pass under a striking archway of the Palazzo Caffarelli and immediately afterwards you will find the door leading up to the terrace on the left.

Link: https://www.terrazzacaffarelli.it/en/ - Information about Café Terrazza Caffarelli, in English.

3. Piazza Venezia & Palazzo Colonna

Palazzo Venezia - In the Renaissance palace Palazzo Venezia, near Piazza Venezia, there is a museum. Here you can admire excellent collections of early Renaissance paintings, painted wooden sculptures, Renaissance chests of drawers and Italian paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries.

The magnificent and must-see baroque palace Palazzo Colonna is a noble palace in Piazza SS. Apostoli and is located near Piazza Venezia. It has been owned by the Colonna family for 23 generations and is partially open to the public. The building's Galleria Colonna houses an important art collection. Visit you can also visit the beautiful gardens with a view of Rome (visit of the palace and gardens only with guided tours, usually only on Saturdays).

Link: https://www.galleriacolonna.it/de/ - Information about the Palazzo Colonna, in German.

Viewing terrace of Singer Palace Hotel

Excellent destination for an aperitif on the sixth floor terrace with a 360 degree view of the center of Rome. Singer Palace is an elegant boutique hotel in the heart of ancient Rome, located about 300 meters from Piazza Venezia, in a small side street off Via del Corso.

Address Via Alessandro Specchi, Rom

Phone +39 06 697 61 61

4. Victor Emmanuel Monument & Vittoriano museum

Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II - Climbing the stairs of the monument in Piazza Venezia you come to a terrace with a beautiful view over the rooftops of Rome. A lift (for a fee) may take you further up to a vantage point. Inside the monument is a museum (called Museo del Risorgimento) documenting the unification of Italy.

The monument to Vittorio Emanuele II also houses the Vittoriano Museum Complex (Complesso del Museo Vittoriano).Some of the city's most important art exhibitions are held here every year, which is particularly interesting for art lovers.This museum complex can be reached via the side street Via di San Pietro in Carcere.

Link: https://vive.beniculturali.it/en/homepage - Information on the Vittoriano and Palazzo Venezia, in English.

5. Church San Marco & church Il Gesu

Church of San Marco- The small church of the Venetian community in Rome is located right on Piazza Venezia. It was renovated in the 9th century and has beautiful apse mosaics.

Church Il Gesu. This is the first Jesuit church in Rome, built in the 16th century. It is not far from the Piazza Venezia and is considered the prototype of baroque churches and is therefore mentioned in many specialist books on art and architecture. Looking up at the ceiling, one can admire the magnificent ceiling fresco Triumph of the Name of Jesus by Giovanni Battista Gaulli (known as Baciccia). It's almost as if you're actually looking at the light of the sky. In the left transept is the Chapel of St. Ignatius. Incidentally, the chapel was designed by Andrea Pozzo, whose most ingenious masterpiece can be admired in the second Jesuit church in Rome, Sant'Ignazio. To the left of the main altar is the marble bust of Saint Roberto Bellarmino, by Bernini.

6. Area Sacra dell'Argentina & Crypta Balbi museum

Galleria Doria Pamphili. Giambattista Pamphilj, who became Pope under the name of Innocenzo X, founded this beautiful gallery in the 17th century. Here you can admire works by Raffaello, Tiziano, Domenichino, Parmigianino, Caravaggio, Carracci, Preti, Guercino, Reni and Velasquez, among others. The gallery also houses antique sculptures and others from the 16th century, including sculptures by Bernini and Algardi.

Link: https://www.doriapamphilj.it/en/ - Information about Galleria Doria Pamphilj, in English.

Area Sacra dell'Argentina - The so-called Area Sacra (Holy District), with the relics of four temples, which are among the oldest in Rome, is below today's street level and can be seen from all sides. The first temple probably dates back to the 3rd century BC due to the shape of its oldest construction phase. Together with the third temple, it is considered to be one of the oldest sacred buildings on the Field of Mars. The site is not accessible to the public.

The Crypta Balbi is part of the Museo Nazionale Romano and is located near Piazza Venezia and the Area Sacra dell'Argentina. Other museum locations: Palazzo Altemps near Piazza Navona and Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, near Roma Termini train station. (Ticket is valid for all three museums).