Located in central Rome, more precisely near the church of Santi Apostoli at the Quirinal Hill, Palazzo Colonna is one of the most important buildings in Rome. It was the property and residence of the infamous Colonna Family for circa 20 generations and it was partially built with ruins of old Roman temples.
Let’s find out something more about Palazzo Colonna in Rome and why you should visit it during a Rome Tour!
A glimpse into the past: the History of Palazzo Colonna
Palazzo Colonna was first built in the far XIII century and, throughout the years, it hosted many important people, among which we can find Dante Alighieri, the most important Italian poet and author of the Divina Commedia, some Colonna cardinals and it even housed Cardinal Oddone Colonna before he became Pope Martin V.
The property of this palace was passed between different families, such as the Della Rovere Family and, of course, the Colonna Family, throughout the centuries because of the many feuds surrounding it. The palace also managed to stay intact during the Sack of Rome because it was apparently protected by the alliance that the Colonna Family made with the Habsburg power.
The palace underwent a lot of changes to become what it is today. It was worked on by architects like Paolo Marucelli and Giacomo Rinaldi, who led to the completion of the main facades of the palace. Architect Antonio del Grande contributed and designed the Grand Gallery contained in the palace that was decorated by Girolamo Fontana.
Exploring Palazzo Colonna’s Art Gallery
As previously mentioned, Palazzo Colonna contains an art gallery that was designed by Antonio del Grande. This gallery houses the collection of the Colonna Family and it contains all kinds of artworks from great artists like Tintoretto, Lorenzo Monaco, Annibale Carracci, Bronzino and many more. The gallery is decorated with frescoes on the ceilings that were painted by Filippo Gherardi, Sebastiano Ricci, Giovanni Coli and Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari.
Here’s a list of some of the most important works of art housed in the Grand Gallery of Palazzo Colonna:
- IL MANGIAFAGIOLI by Annibale Carracci;
- NARCISO AL FRONTE by Tintoretto;
- RITRATTO DI ONOFRIO PANVINIO by Tintoretto;
- MIRACOLO DI S. FRANCESCO DI PAOLA by Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari;
- ALLEGORIA DI CASA COLONNA by Giovanni Coli;
Conclusion
Visiting Palazzo Colonna is a great way to comprehend something more about Roman history and get to see some of the greatest artworks contained in the Gallery. If you want to get to know more about the Eternal City, check out our other blogs and consider booking a tour with us!
