Home

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
What's New!

Detailed Sitemap

All images © by Roberto Piperno, owner of the domain. Write to romapip@quipo.it. Text edited by Rosamie Moore.
Porta Cavalleggeri (Book 1) (Map D2) (Day 8) (Rione Borgo)

In this page:
The plate by Giuseppe Vasi
Today's view and S. Salvatore in Torrione
Coat of arms
Palazzo della Santa Inquisizione
SS. Michele e Magno

The Plate (No. 16)

Porta Cavalleggeri

The gate is named after the cavalry barracks you see on the left. Behind the walls the Palace of SS. Offizio, or Inquisition. 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) Basilica Vaticana; 2) Palazzo Apostolico; 3) Palazzo Sant'Onofrio; 4) Quartiere dei Cavalleggeri (Cavalry Barracks). 1) and 2) are shown in other pages. The small map shows also: 5) Porta Cavalleggeri; 6) SS. Michele e Magno.

Small ViewSmall View

Today

The Gate today

The need to accommodate large traffic flows towards St. Peter's square led to a large opening in the walls and to the repositioning of the gate to the left. A large new building for the SS. Offizio was erected in the 1930s which does not allow any longer the view of St Peter's façade. The apse of tiny Chiesa di S. Salvatore in Torrione (torrione=large tower), shown by Vasi inside the gate, is now in full view next to Palazzo del Sant'Uffizio.

The Coats of Arms

The Coats of Arms

Pope Alexander VI strengthened the defences of the Vatican, especially in Castel S. Angelo. Most of his coats of arms were destroyed at his death, but those on Porta Cavalleggeri were spared. Also the little fountain on the right of the old gate has been repositioned. The coat of arms is of Pope Pius IV.

Palazzo della Sacra Inquisizione

Palazzo della Sacra Inquisizione

The Palace was built by Pope Pius V in 1571 to house Sant'Uffizio (Holy Office), commonly known as the Inquisition, responsible for investigating charges of heresy and other offences against religion. The building was enlarged in the 1930s by Pius XI.

Read Mark Twain's views on the Inquisition.

SS. Michele e Magno

SS. Michele e Magno

The church was founded in the VIIIth century by a group of Frisians. It was modified several times, the last modification occurred in 1749 under the pontificate of Pope Benedictus XIV, whose coat of arms can be seen inside the church. The access to the church from the street is through a 33 steps stair, which because of the number of the steps is considered sacred (Scala Santa). The church is the national church of Friesland (today of all the Netherlands) (click here for a list of national churches in Rome). It contains an interesting funerary inscription written both in Latin and Arabic in honour of a Syrian bishop.

Monument to Raphael Mengs

The painter Anton Raphael Mengs (1728-79) is buried in the church. During his lifetime he was regarded as the heir of Raphael. With the sculptor Antonio Canova and the art historian Johann Joachim Winckelmann he is considered the father of the Neoclassic style.

Excerpts from Giuseppe Vasi 1761 Itinerary related to this page:


Palazzo della Sagra Inquisizione
Essendo da Paolo III. istituito il Tribunale della sagra Inquisizione, dopo varie mutazioni, alla fine s. Pio V. quivi lo stabilì, costruendovi tutti li comodi convenienti per li ministri, e per li rei. Nel vicolo a destra di questo si vede la
Porta Cavalleggieri
Dicevasi anticamente questa porta del Torrione, dipoi in Posterula; ma essendovi fatto appresso il quartiere della guardia Pontificia, chiamata de' Cavalleggieri, di questi ora porta il nome.

Chiesa di s. Michele Arcangelo, e di s. Magno
Si disse questa chiesa in Sassia, per la medesima ragione, che dicemmo dello Spedale di s. Spirito, mentre le sta non molto lungi. Fu eretta in onore del s. Principe circa l'anno 813. da Carlo Magno sulla punta di quel colle; perciò vi si sale per alcuni gradini, e conservandosi in essa il corpo di s. Magno vescovo e martire, porta il nome ancora di questo Santo. Paolo III. eresse in questa chiesa una Confraternita per associare il ss. Viatico della Basilica Vaticana; e nell'anno 1631. vi fu costituito un collegio di cento Preti, e venti chierici sotto il titolo della ss. Concezione, che poi fu trasportato, come dicemmo, nel collegio Ecclesiastico presso ponte Sisto. Fu ultimamente rinnovata questa chiesa da Benedetto XIV. ed ornata di varie pitture moderne.

Next plate in Book 1: Porta Fabrica
Next step in Day 8 itinerary: Chiesa di S. Maria delle Fornaci