CAPITOLINE MUSEUMS

Description

Essentials about the Capitoline Museums in brief

A visit to the Capitoline Museums is a must for any visitor to Rome who is passionate about Roman history. With their magnificent collection of ancient art, the Capitoline Museums rank right after the Vatican Museums in terms of importance and diversity.

The history of the Capitoline Museums

The Capitoline Museums date back to 1471, when the city of Rome received a collection of sculptures of Greek and Roman gods of antiquity from Pope Sixtus IV. In the following years, the collection was also expanded, mainly with Vatican holdings. Thus, Pius V wanted to purge the Vatican palaces of pagan statues and transferred them to Palazzo Conservatori on Capitoline Hill.

With the completion of Palazzo Nuovo, also on Capitoline Hill, in 1654, part of the collection could be moved there and better displayed. After the acquisition of the collection by Cardinal Albani, the exhibition was opened to the public for the first time in 1734. With the expansion of Rome as the capital of Italy from 1870, more finds of antiquities were made, which were moved to a new Antiquarium on Celio Hill.

In 1925 Palazzo Caffarelli, also on Capitoline Hill, was acquired, in 1952 the northern annex of Palazzo Conservatori was incorporated into the museums, and in 1957 the Galleria Lapidaria was established. In 1997, due to construction works, part of the collection was moved to the Centrale Montemartini, a former electric power station. Because of its great success, in 2005 this was transformed into a permanent branch of the Capitoline Museums. By 2005, the Capitoline Museums had undergone major reconstruction and expansion. In the process, Palazzo Clementino, located next to Palazzo Caffarelli, was acquired and included.

The parts of the Capitoline Museums

Today the museums are divided into several parts on Capitoline Hill, which can be reached through the common entrance in the Palazzo Conservatori. In Palazzo Conservatori, built by Michelangelo, there are mainly archaeological finds and the Castellani Collection. In one of the wings of Palazzo Conservatori is the valuable Pinacoteca with works by Caravaggio, Titian and Rubens, among others. In a glazed courtyard today stands the equestrian statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, a copy of which stands in Piazza del Campidoglio. Inside the museum, foundations of the Capitoline Temple can also still be seen.

A variety of Roman artifacts including statues, sarcophagi, busts and elaborate mosaics are on display in the Palazzo Nuovo, located across from the Palazzo Conservatori in Piazza del Campidoglio. Palazzo Nuovo and Palazzo Conservatori are connected by an underground passageway. Here is the Galleria Lapidaria with fragments of ancient marble inscriptions. Through a corridor from the Galleria Lapidaria, the Tabularium and the Temple of Veiovis can be reached. Finally, in the Palazzi Caffarelli and Clementini there are the Santarelli Collection and the Coin Collection.