Trastevere
Palazzo Corsini
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Cardinal Pietro Riario, a cousin of the one who won such a huge sum in a game of dice that he financed the building of the Cancelleria Palace on the other side of the Tiber, was given this land by his Uncle, Pope Sixtus IV della Rovere.
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| Palazzo Corsini History 1414. Francesco della Rovere is born into a destitute family in Savona. Later he was educated by the Franciscans; then joined their order, becoming an inspired preacher and academic. 1471-84. Francesco becomes Pope Sixtus IV; his nephew had promised gifts to all those Cardinals who would vote for him. He is strict in his own life, but unscrupulous in amassing money, power and position for his family. He invented nepotism (literally "nephew-ism"!). 1662-89. Christina of Sweden, abdicated Queen, lived and died in the room with the 2 wooden columns overlooking her garden. During her tenure Palace life reached the summum of grandeur. She reportedly devoted herself to her love, the mysterious Cardinal for whom she had embraced Catholicism and given up her throne. 1736. The Tuscan family Corsini bought the Palace, and gave it their name. 1797. Giuseppe Bonaparte, Ambassador for the French Directorate, who had come to Rome to explain the joys of the French Revolution, was caught in a scuffle outside the Palace near the Porta Settimiana. Though Giuseppe Bonaparte escaped death, his companion General Duphot did not. |
The National Art Gallery
(Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica or Galleria Corsini). Containing 16C and 17C paintings. Guido Reni (1575-1642) painted an idealized portrait of Caterina Sforza.
Cesare Borgia, cruel son of Pope Alexander VI, defeated Caterina's armies at Forli, but was so impressed by her bravery he had her returned to Rome in golden chains. Then he had her imprisoned in Castel St. Angelo from which she was released through French intervention. Also works by Caravaggio, Murillo, Rubens and Van Dyck.
Botanical Gardens
(Orto Botanico). Beyond the 400 year old tree, "Magnolia grandiflora", full of sweet scented blossoms in June, is part of the gardens Queen Christina loved so much.
There are 3 tropical greenhouses, a sandy desert area, a Japanese garden, fountain and large basin of water, trees from all over the world of venerable height, and an orchid fair every Spring. A lovely place to walk and bask in the sun.
Free entrance. Hours: Winter Mon – Sat 9 am - 6 pm. Summer 9am - 7 pm.
Closed August, Sundays and holidays
Palazzo Torlonia
This building used to house Prince Torlonia's Museum of ancient Roman artifacts, busts and sculptures. The Torlonia family ancestor was a cloth merchant from Toulon, who, under Napoleon, came to Italy to find his fortune.
Ennobled to Princes and Marquises, the family in the 19th Century made even more money first draining the malarial marshes which they bought for a trifle, and then selling the dried land for much more than a trifle.
Today this is a private apartment building; the Torlonia collection dispersed after it was secretly moved out of Rome just before officials of the city of Rome were coming to confiscate.
John Cabot University
Formerly the Monastery of the 100 Priests; around the corner the 100 nuns are still baking the religious wafers for Holy Communion (in Vicolo Moroni). Now, this is perhaps the best U.S. College outside the States. Fine academic staff and Professor/student ratio. BA degrees in Foreign Affairs, Business, Art History.
