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Visit Rome following 8 XVIIIth century itineraries XVIIIth century Rome in the 10 Books of Giuseppe Vasi - Le Magnificenze di Roma Antica e Moderna The Grand View of Rome by G. Vasi The Environs of Rome: Frascati, Tivoli, Albano and other small towns near Rome A 1781 map of Rome by G. Vasi An 1852 map of Rome by P. Letarouilly Rome seen by a 1905 armchair traveller in the paintings by Alberto Pisa The 14 historical districts of Rome An abridged history of Rome How to spend a peaceful day in Rome Baroque sculptors and their works The coats of arms of the popes in the monuments of Rome Pages on a specific pope Pages complementing the itineraries and the views by Giuseppe Vasi Walks in the Roman countryside and in other towns of Latium following Ferdinand Gregorovius A Directory of links to the Churches of Rome A Directory of links to the Palaces and Villas of Rome A Directory of links to the Other Monuments of Rome A Directory of Baroque Architects with links to their works A Directory of links to Monuments of Ancient Rome A Directory of links to Monuments of Medieval Rome A Directory of links to Monuments of Renaissance A Directory of links to Monuments of the Late Renaissance A list of the most noteworthy Roman Families Directories of fountains, obelisks, museums, etc. Books and guides used for developing this web site An illustrated Glossary of Art Terms Venice and the Levant Roman recollections in Florence A list of Italian towns shown in this web site Venetian Fortresses in Greece Vienna seen by an Italian XVIIIth century traveller A list of foreign towns shown in this web site
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All images © by Roberto Piperno, owner of the domain. Write to romapip@quipo.it. Text edited by Rosamie Moore.
SS. Venanzio e Ansovino (Book 6) (Day 1) (View C8) (Rione Campitelli), (Rione Pigna) and (Rione Sant'Angelo)

In this page:
The plate by Giuseppe Vasi
Today's view
The fountain of Sixtus V
Palazzo Muti-Bussi
Palazzo Fani now Pecci Blunt
Palazzo Massimo di Rignano
Tor Margana

The Plate (No. 116)

SS. Venanzio e Ansovino

We are here in the narrow medieval streets around the Capitol. A small square in Via di Aracoeli has the three elements of an Italian piazza: a church, a palace and a fountain. The view is taken from the green dot in the small 1748 map here below. In the description below the plate Vasi made reference to: 1) Palazzo Muti Bussi; 2) SS. Venanzio ed Ansovino; 3) Palazzo Silvestri; 4) Via Capitolina leading to Campidoglio. The small map shows also: 5) S. Rita da Cascia; 6) Casa di Pietro da Cortona; 7) Tor Margana; 8) Palazzo Fani; 9) Palazzo Massimo. The dotted line in the small map delineates the border between Rione Pigna (upper part), Rione Sant'Angelo (small part on the left) and Rione Campitelli.

Small ViewSmall View

Today

The square today

The Monument to Victor Emmanuel II at the end of the XIXth century and the opening of La Via del Mare in the 1930's have completely destroyed this medieval quarter.

Aerial view

An aerial view of the area before the 1930's alterations shows (red border) the blocks which were pulled down which included Palazzo Silvestri. The house of Pietro da Cortona was pulled down when the Monument to Victor Emmanuel II was built. The church of S. Rita da Cascia, marked with a red asterisk, was rebuilt near Teatro di Marcello. The green asterisk marks Palazzo Muti Bussi.

The Fountain of Sixtus V

The Fountain The Coat of arms

The fountain was built by Giacomo della Porta for Pope Sixtus V as the three mountains show. Pope Alexander VII put on it his coat of arms to celebrate a restoration of the fountain.

Palazzo Muti Bussi

Palazzo Muti - Bussi

The Muti family claimed to descend from Mutius Scaevola, so when the last heir married a Bussi, her father imposed Muti to be added to Bussi and because of the greater seniority to be named first. Palazzo Muti-Bussi is a fine late XVIIth century work by G. A. De' Rossi. You may wish to see the fine monuments to Giovanni Andrea Giuseppe Muti and his wife Maria Colomba Vincentini in the church of S. Marcello.

Palazzo Fani

Palazzo Fani

The palace is now usually called Palazzo Pecci Blunt after the current owners. It belonged to many Roman families including the Ruspoli and the Spada. However it is under the Fani family at the end of the XVIth century that the building was redesigned by Giacomo della Porta. It has a very fine loggia.

Palazzo Massimo

Palazzo Massimo

In 1939 the angle of the palace was cut and now the balcony at the attic enjoys a terrific view over the twin steps leading to Piazza del Campidoglio and S. Maria in Aracoeli. The loggia in the form of a little castle is a XIXth century addition. Apart from these changes the palace retains the appearance it got in 1695 when Carlo Fontana redesigned it. The elegant portal became a pattern for the architects of the XVIIIth century.

Tor Margana

Tor Margana

In the XVth century the Margani were often involved in fights with other Roman families. The chronicles of the time report a Paolo Margano killing a Bartolomeo Santacroce in 1446 and another Paolo Margano killing a Prospero Santacroce in 1485. The Santacroce lived very near in their fortified palace and the two families were fierce enemies. The Margani had a fortified house too, embellished with fragments of Roman buildings. Today Piazza di Tor Margana is one of the most peaceful squares of Rome.

Excerpts from Giuseppe Vasi 1761 Itinerary related to this page:


Chiesa de SS. Venanzio ed Ansovino
Incontro alla Casa professa evvi il palazzo Petroni, e a sinistra quello di Astalli, e di Muti Bussi, e dietro a questo si vede la chiesa de' suddetti santi, anticamente detta s. Gio: Batista in mercatello, per il mercato, che vi si faceva di cose comestibili, prima che fosse stabilito quello in Piazza Navona. Nell'anno 1542. questa fu conceduta ad una Congregazione di Gentiluomini eretta da s. Ignazio di Loyola per istruire i Neofiti, e Catecumeni; ma poi essendo questi trasportati presso la chiesa di s. Maria a' Monti, nel 1635. vi succedettero i Monaci Basiliani di Grotta Ferrata, e dopo la Confraternita de' Marchigiani. Finalmente nel 1674. l'ottennero i Camerinesi, i quali nel rinnovarla la dedicarono a' Santi loro patroni, che si vedono sull'altare maggiore dipinti da Luigi Garzi, e vi mantengono la cura delle anime.
Il Fonte, che sta sulla piazzetta fu fatto dal Senato Romano, e la strada fu aperta da Paolo III. quando venne in Roma l'Imperatore Carlo V. e si chiama capitolina, perchè porta al Campidoglio. A piedi di questo vi sono fra gli altri palazzi uno di Ruspoli, e l'altro di Martini, e nel vicolo incontro, che si dice della petacchia, si vede la chiesa di s. Biagio Vescovo che fu rinnovata nel suo prospetto con disegno del Cav. Carlo Fontana: ora però si dice della B. Rita.

Next plate in Book 6: S. Maria in Campitelli
Next step in Day 1 itinerary: S. Maria in Araceli
Next step in your tour of Rione Campitelli: S. Maria in Campitelli
Next step in your tour of Rione Sant'Angelo: Palazzo Paluzzi Serlupi Lovatelli