Piazza Venezia is the tourist center of Rome. Venice square, venice palace and vittoriano in rome

Publication date: 2014-05-19

(Italian: Palazzo Venezia) - a historical palace, the residence of the Barbo family, as well as the former representation of the Venetian Republic in papal Rome. Today in the palazzo is located National Museum, whose expositions mainly include rare collections of ceramics, sculpture, a collection of art objects up to the early Renaissance. It also houses the headquarters of the library of the National Institute of Archeology and History.

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The Palazzo was built as a residence for Pietro Barbo, the future Pope, known as Paul II. Construction has begun in 1455 around medieval tower. The choice of location for the residence was not accidental. It was here that the Basilica of San Marco was located. As you know, Pietro Barbo was born in 1417 in Venice, whose heavenly patron is St. Mark (from the time his relics were transported from Alexandria captured by Muslims). Simultaneously with the construction of the palace, the basilica was also reconstructed (the famous architect Alberti worked on the reconstruction and redevelopment of its facade).

Palazzo Venezia has an elongated shape of two buildings, located on both sides of the medieval tower Uzha, named after the serpentine staircase leading to the jagged roof. The first building was completed in 1464, in the year of the election of Pietro Barbo as Pope. Then he decided to enlarge the palazzo, making it more monumental and majestic. The work continued for 26 years and was completed after the death of the Pope.

In the 16th century, during another reconstruction under the leadership of Cardinal Lorenzo Cibo, Cibo's apartments were added to the residence, which later served as the residence of the bishops of St. Mark's Basilica. At the very end of the 18th century, the building of the former residence of Pietro Barbo was transferred to the authorities of the Republic of Venice for embassy service. Since then, the palace has been called the Palazzo Venezia. During the transition of Venice under the rule of the Habsburgs, the Austrian embassy was located here.

In 1916, after the building was returned to Italian ownership, it was restored and turned into the National Museum of Art. However, during the dictatorship of Mussolini, Palazzo Venezia became the residence of the Duce until the fall of the fascist regime.

At present, the National Museum, which also occupies the premises of the adjoining Petit Palace of Venice, is connected to the main core of the complex by the ancient passage of the guards or the Corridor of the Cardinals, reconstructed in the 17th century. Currently, the National Museum has its collections in 28 rooms of the Palazzo Venezia.

At the entrance to the museum there is a marble bust of Pope Paul II, the coat of arms of the Barbo family and frescoes of the 18th century depicting Pius IV (in memory of the transfer of the building to the Venetian Republic). At the end of the passage there is a door, opening which you can enter the Basilica of St. Mark. In the side rooms is the Library of the Institute of Archeology and Art History.

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Halls of the National Museum in Palazzo Venezia

Hall "Veneto"(Sala Veneto). Early examples of Byzantine iconography are presented. The hall's gallery also displays several works by Paolo Veneziano, a prominent 14th-century painter. The 15th century is represented, in particular, by a fragment of the fresco "Head of a Woman", attributed to Antonio Pisanello.

Hall "Emilia-Romagna"(Sala Emilia Romagna) exhibits paintings by Lorenzo Sabatini, several historical artifacts from the Ruffo collection, as well as three magnificent wooden statues (Madonna and Child and two Magi, copies from Fabriano's palace).

Hall "Lazio, Umbria, Marche"(Sala Lazio, Umbria, Marche). Here is the iconography. The main exhibits are two carved crosses of the 13th century.

Halls "Tuscany"(Sale Toscana) are dedicated to the region of Tuscany and illustrate the development of one of the leading schools of Italian painting in the 14th and 15th centuries.

Hall "Paintings on canvas"(Sala dipinti su tela). Paintings on canvas of the Italian school of the 17th-18th centuries are exhibited. Most of the works belonged to the Ruffo collection, donated by Fabrizio Ruffo in 1919.

Hall "Altovity"(Sala Altoviti) is decorated with frescoes from the Palazzo Altaviti, by Giorgio Vasari, which were transferred to the Palazzo Venezia in 1929.

In other halls of the National Museum, you can see collections of bronze, ceramics, ancient terracotta, ivory items, religious objects. One of the halls houses the armory of the Odescalchi family, as well as the richest collections of applied art, partially transferred from the Chircheriano Museum.

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Piazza Venezia is one of the most famous squares Rome, located at the foot of the Capitoline Hill, at the intersection of the most important metropolitan highways. It was from here that we started a series of our walks around Rome on the first day, and returned here many times when walking around Rome.

The name of the square comes from the palace of the same name - Palazzo Venezia, where the representative office of the Venetian Republic in Rome was once located, and now there is a museum and library of archeology. A majestic monument in honor of the first king of united Italy, Victor Emmanuel II - Vittoriano, overlooks Venice Square, the main element of which is a 12-meter statue of King Victor Emmanuel II on horseback. Under the statue is the Altar of the Fatherland (Altare della Patria) with the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

A majestic monument in honor of the first king of united Italy, Victor Emmanuel II - Vittoriano, overlooks Venice Square, the main element of which is a 12-meter statue of King Victor Emmanuel II on horseback. Under the statue is the Altar of the Fatherland (Altare della Patria) with the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Piazza Venezia from Corso. On the right side of the Palazzo Venezia (Palazzo Venezia), and the most ancient landmark of the area - the Church of San Marco, which dates back to the IV century.

View of the Vittoriano from Trajan's Imperial Forum. Roman chariots installed on the Altar of the Fatherland

View of the Vittoriano as you approach from the Colosseum along Via dei Fori Imperiali

The main architectural element of the Vittoriano is the characteristic neoclassical gallery of Corinthian columns. This gallery is provided with two porticos with triangular pediments. At the top, above each of the porticos, there are two bronze sculptural compositions depicting the goddess Nike on a chariot.

In the center of the square, there is a monument to Victor Emmanuel II, the first king to head a united Italy.

There are two fountains in front of the gallery, symbolizing the two seas surrounding Italy. To the left is the fountain. Adriatic Sea, decorated with a lion - a symbol of the holy evangelist Mark, on the right - a fountain Tyrrhenian Sea with a statue of a siren symbolizing the city of Naples.

The building of the church also overlooks Piazza Venezia. Santa Maria di Loreto. The church was built at the beginning of the 16th century.

Altar of the Fatherland. The bas-reliefs on the sides of the statue of Rome in the center symbolically depict "Labor" (left) and "Love for the Motherland" (right).

A guard of honor is constantly on duty at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Eternal Flame at the Altar of the Fatherland

Monument to the first king of united Italy Victor Emmanuel II

The central statue of the composition is a statue of Rome, a deity who personified the Roman state in antiquity.

We go up the internal stairs to the observation deck

From the observation deck - Terrazza delle Quadrighe, offers an excellent panorama of the nearby surroundings of Rome.

View of Trajan's Forum

View of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum

April, 2016

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Not in Rome main square, but if I had to choose one, then it could be exactly piazza Venice(piazza venice). Here the main city highways converge:, via dei(Via dei Fiori Imperiali) and via del Plebiscito(Via Plebiscito).

Therefore, on the anniversary of the unification of Italy, it was decided to build here ( monumento Vittorio Emanuele II, or Vittoriano, Giuseppe Sacconi, 1885-1911). The memorial is dedicated to the first king of united Italy.

The architects failed to harmoniously fit the huge building into the ensemble of earlier, low buildings on Piazza Venezia. A monument made of white limestone, 70 m high and 135 m wide, subjugated the entire space piazza Venice. The inhabitants of Rome call it "wedding cake", "inkwell" and "typewriter".

In the center of the memorial there is an equestrian statue of Victor Emmanuel II (). The monument was cast from the bronze of old papal cannons, as a sign of the transfer of power over Rome to the king.

Altar of the Fatherland

At the foot of the monument Altape of the Fatherland(Altare della Patria, Angelo Zanelli, 1924) buried the coffin with the ashes of the Unknown Soldier. The Eternal Flame burns here and there is a guard of honor of the Bersaliers, soldiers of the elite rifle units of the Italian army.

To the left of the steps of the monument, one of the few monuments from the times of Republican Rome attracts attention. A two-story building made of travertine, from which the base with an inscription and fragments of columns have been preserved, is a tombstone of the 1st century BC. e., delivered by the “Senate and the Roman people” to Gaius Publication Bibulus, an aedile, that is, an official in charge of building temples and holding public events.

insula

To the right of the Altar of the Fatherland there is another ancient monument - insula (insula), a typical Roman multi-storey house of the 2nd century. In ancient times, such houses were built due to the overpopulation of the city. This building was five-story, the excavation shows the first floor, where shops and warehouses were usually located. The rest of the floors were occupied by apartments, which the owner of the house rented out to the tenants. Today, tourists can go inside through a door made at the level of the second floor.

Museum of the Risorgimento

From the side via dei Fori Imperialiunder monument, right at the base of the building, located ( Museo centrale del Risorgimento). Risorgimento - the period of the struggle for the unification of Italy (1815-1871), and the museum is dedicated to the political, economic and social history countries of the XVIII-XX centuries.

Palazzo Venice

The western side of Piazza Venezia (left, if viewed from the monument) is occupied by palazzo venice 38 (Palazzo Venice, Giuliano da Maiano, 1455). The massive cubic building with a square corner tower, which gave the name of the square, was built for the Venetian cardinal Pietro Barbo, the future Pope Paul II, and was originally called the Palace of St. Mark ( Palazzo di S. Marco). Rectangular teeth, which decorate the cornice of the palace, betray the owner's belonging to the Guelph party - one of the most important political forces of medieval Italy. In the endless confrontation between the popes and the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire, the Guelphs supported the pope. Opponents of the Guelphs, the Ghibellines, preferred the “dovetail” crenellations (such crenellations adorn the walls of the Moscow Kremlin).

In 1564-1797, the palace was occupied by the embassy of the Republic, since then the building has had its modern name. During the years of fascism (1922-1943), the palace was the official residence of Benito Mussolini, from a small balcony above the main entrance ("Mussolini's balcony"), the dictator made several famous speeches.

talking statues

At a time when the popes ruled the city and no one could even think about freedom of speech, the inhabitants of Rome had the opportunity to express their political position anonymously, or rather, on behalf of one of the six statues - Pasquino, Marforio, Il Babbuino, Madame Lucrezia, Il Faccino Or Abbot Luigi. Short notes were attached to the pedestals of these statues, criticizing and ridiculing the authorities, usually in verse.

The following lines were dedicated to Pope Nicholas V, merciless towards his enemies:

Da quando e Niccolo papa e assassino,

abbonda a Roma il sangue e scarso e il vino

Since Nicholas became a dad and a murderer,

In Rome there is an excess of blood and a lack of wine.

Sometimes the statues exchanged remarks, for example, when Rome was sacked by the Napoleonic troops, Marforio asked: “Is it true that all the French are thieves?”, To which Pasquino, having beaten the name of the French emperor, replied: Tutti no, ma Bona parte("Not all, but most").

Altar of the Fatherland

Piazza Venezia
09.00–18.00

National Museum of Palazzo Venice

Via del Plebesccito, 118
Tue–Sun 08.30–19.30, Dec 25, Jan 1, Aug 15 closed

Basilica San Marco

Piazza di San Marco, 48
summer Mon–Sun 07.00–12.30 and 16.00–18.30

Piazza Venezia on the map of Rome:

Piazza Venezia is the starting point of many tourist routes, as it is located in the center of Rome and is considered one of the main squares of the city. Piazza Venezia has not lost its importance since the Middle Ages, when it was the intersection of important trade routes. Now it is crossed by six important streets of Rome. In the 15th century, on the instructions of Cardinal Pietra Barbo, at the foot of the Capitol, the Palace of Venice was built, which gave the name Piazza.

Piazza Venezia: history

Today, Piazza Venezia is the center from which the Roman streets diverge like the rays of the sun. They will lead to the Colosseum, to St. Peter's Square, the famous Roman quarter of Trastevere. From here begins the main shopping street with various shops and boutiques - Via del Corso.

In the Middle Ages, when Cardinal Barbo became Pope Paul II, on his orders, the square became the venue for the traditional Roman carnival. The main event of the festivities was the wild horse racing, which was later abolished by Victor Emmanuel II, after whose reign the square began to change its appearance. The construction of the Vittoriano monument and the expansion of the territory began.

In all corners of the piazza you can see a lot interesting places associated with historical events cities. Not far from the church of San Marco, a bust of Madame Lucrezia has been standing since the time of the papal rule. In the Middle Ages, criticism of the authorities was forbidden, so the people expressed their dissatisfaction on paper and pasted it on the bust. According to some sources, the bust of Madama Lucretia depicted the goddess Isis. According to another version, this bust was erected in honor of the beloved woman of King Alphonse of Aragon - Lucrezia Borgia. Lucrezia patronized artists and musicians.

Legends also hover around the Bonaparte Palace, which stands out on the square with its green balcony. Napoleon's mother, Laetitia Bonoparte, loved this place very much, but she was so talkative and curious that, without a twinge of conscience, she discussed the outfits passing by the ladies. This behavior did not reflect well on the reputation of the emperor, and he ordered the balcony to be shuttered.

Palace of Venice

The Palazzo, built by order of Cardinal Barbo, is considered one of the first monuments of the Renaissance. The Roman Forums, the Colosseum in the middle of the 15th century had no historical significance, they were broken down to use the stone for new buildings. It was with stones from the Colosseum that the palace of Venice was built. The windows in the building are not symmetrical - this was done in order to evil spirits couldn't get inside.
The palazzo had many owners. Initially, it housed the embassy of Venice, which gave the name to the palace. After being occupied by Austria, it was the Austrian embassy for a long time. Then it was occupied by the Fascist Party of Italy, led by Benito Mussolini.

The building now houses the national historical Museum, which presents items related to the historical period from the Middle Ages to 19th century. The museum is open six days a week, except Mondays from 8.30 to 19.30. But tourists are always most interested in the Chere Museum, located in the same building. In it you can see the exposition of wax figures famous people and Mussolini's cabinet, recreated to the smallest detail.

Church of San Marco

Practically being part of the palace of Venice, the church of San Marco rises on the square - the oldest basilica in the city. The 4th century building was rebuilt several times. By order of Cardinal Barbo, it was made part of the Palace of Venice during its construction. In the middle of the 18th century, the basilica was again subjected to reconstruction, after which all the decoration was made in the Baroque style. But, despite all the alterations, the church has preserved a colorful mosaic dating from the 9th century, depicting Jesus Christ surrounded by saints and part of the floor from the time of Pope Paul II. Under the altar are the relics of one of the popes - Mark. Entrance to the church is free. But it is recommended to take coins with you to throw them into the bowl for "defiling the temple".

Vittoriano

The very square of Venice in Rome, which has a rectangular shape, does not represent anything outstanding. What makes it unusual is the monument to the first king of united Italy, Victor Emmanuel II - Vittoriano, erected on the slope of the Capitol Hill. The author of the monument was Giuseppe Sacconi, according to whose drawings construction continued for fifty years. He won the competition announced by the government. But in his developments, the architect relied on the exact requirements of the customer: the place is the northern slope of the Capitol, the statue of the equestrian is obligatory and the rear arbitrary building that closes the church of Santa Maria in Araceli. All structures were made of marble quarried in the province of Brescia.
The main part of the ensemble is a statue depicting Victor Emmanuel seated on a horse. It is cast in bronze and has a height of 12 meters. Until now, the first king is revered by the Italians as a liberator and protector.

The "Altar of the Fatherland" is located under the statue of the king. It was built in 1906 by the sculptor Angello Zanelli and was conceived as the personification of labor and love for the Fatherland. All images decorating the bas-reliefs are allegorical and symbolize agriculture, industry, and the fire of the motherland. Since 1921, the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, dedicated to the heroes of the First World War, has been located here.

The erection of the Vittoriano led to demolition a large number ancient buildings, but during the excavations, the ruins of a house dating back to the 2nd century AD and a Roman fortress wall were discovered, which are now available for viewing to tourists.

All buildings of the monument combine the features of many historical styles.

The entrance to the building is decorated with columns. On open area two bronze statues were installed, symbolizing the unity of the Motherland and the freedom of citizens. Two fountains in front of the building are symbols of the seas washing the peninsula: the Tyrrhenian and the Adriatic. Six statues symbolize Italian values, sixteen more Italian regions.

For such eclecticism, the presence of bulky details, their crowding, the Italians themselves do not like it. They call it "wedding cake", "false teeth", "typewriter" and it's not complete list condescendingly contemptuous names of the complex. Tourists do not miss the opportunity to take large-scale photos against such a monumental background and admire what they see. In the evening, Vittoriano is illuminated with soft light, from which its pretentiousness is smoothed out, and it becomes even more beautiful.

The Vittoriano ensemble includes two museums: the Risorgimento and the flags of the navy.

Here is one of the best viewing platforms in the city. In December, the largest Christmas tree is set up in Piazza Venezia. In the same place, a park of horse-drawn carts settled, ready to take tourists to any part of Rome.

How to get there

Piazza Venezia is located near the Teremini station, from which three bus routes pass through the piazza: 50, 64, 175. Tram number 8 stops next to the Basilica of San Marco. The closest metro stations to the square are: Colosseo, Cavour. They are located a 10-minute walk from Piazza Venezia. The road from the metro goes along the imperial forums, bronze sculptures that have turned green from time to time.

At any time of the year, even if the weather does not please the guests of the city too much, the central part of Rome is filled with a huge number of people. Even those who have already been to Rome more than once cannot deny themselves the pleasure of visiting the most famous of the numerous squares of the city - Piazza Venezia. Piazza Venezia - that's what they call it great place where most Roman tour guides start hiking trails.

However, tourists who come to Rome often visit Piazza Venezia on their own to enjoy its splendor without haste, enjoying contemplation amazing beauty Venetian Palace, admire the main attraction of the square - a grandiose monument towering in its center.

This majestic monument erected in honor of Vittoria Emmanuele - the first king of United Italy. Marble benches are installed along the perimeter of the square, inviting tired travelers to sit down, and parked carts await those wishing to take a walk around Rome on horseback.

Where did the name of the square come from?

Piazza Venezia owes its name to magnificent palace, erected in 1455 by decree of Pietro Barbo, the Venetian cardinal. Subsequently, he became known under the name of Pope Paul II. The creator of the palace project was the architect Leon Battista Alberti, well-known in those years, and Bernardo Rosselino supervised its construction.

In 15th century Italy, building materials cost a lot of money, and the country's financial situation was not very good. Therefore, most of the palace was built from ancient Roman buildings. Even became the material for the construction of the palace of Venice.

Over the years that have passed since the completion of construction, the Venice Palace has been used for various purposes, has changed a solid number of owners. Now the Palace building houses two museums. Chief among them is the National Museum, which specializes in the preservation of decorative art. However, a much larger number of tourists visit the Chere Museum, where wax figures famous personalities, as well as recreated the interior of the office, owned by Mussolini.

What else attracts tourists to Piazza Venezia?

Each of the tourists pays attention to the Basilica of San Marco, also included in palace complex. Since it was rebuilt many times, its original appearance has not been preserved. Now its main decoration is an ensemble consisting of three arches and a loggia, as well as a magnificent mosaic depicting Jesus Christ and the apostles.

As already mentioned, the Vittoriano monument is an integral part of the square. Its construction, which ended in 1911, took about 25 years. The ensemble was completely completed in 1935, when the composition was supplemented by a monument to the unknown soldier, called the Altar of the Fatherland.

Several floors of this building are occupied by a museum dedicated to the history of Italy, and in its upper part there is Observation deck With great view on the street of Rome. Walking along Piazza Venezia, you can visit several more interesting museums.

How to get there?

Finding Piazza Venezia in Rome is easy. It is close to Terimini Station and for those who are not too fond of walking tours can be reached by bus. Buses numbered 175, 50, 64 go from the station to Venice Square. If you use the metro, then final destination trips will become Colosseo or Cavour station. Piazza Venezia is a 10-minute leisurely walk from them.