Rome Centro Storico

Musei Capitolini

☎06 82 05 91 27; www.museicapitolini.org. Open Tu-Su 9am-8pm. Last entry 1 hr. before closing. Musei Capitolini’s wheelchair-accessible entrance at V. del Tempio di Giove; Tabularium’s wheelchair entrance at Palazzo Nuovo. Reservations necessary for groups (12+ people) Sa and holidays €25. Tickets €6.50, EU residents 18-25 €4.50, EU residents under 18 and over 65 free; with temporary exhibition €9; combined Musei Capitolini and Centrale Montemartini valid for 7 days €11, ISIC & EU students €9. Audio tour €5.

The Capitoline Museums, founded in 1471 by Pope Sixtus IV, together make up the world’s oldest public museum of ancient art, as well as one of Rome’s most important repositories of Greek and Roman sculpture. The beautiful piazza and the facades of both palazzi were designed by Michelangelo. The museums’ impressive collection is arranged for architectural symmetry and overall ornamental effect rather than for historical, archaeological, or artistic integrity—so bring your sketchbook and revel in the incongruity. The Palazzo Nuovo (to the left as you enter) contains hundreds of unlabeled statues from the fourth century BC through the third century AD, while the Palazzo dei Conservatori (on the right), houses some famous Hellenistic Roman bronzes and Renaissance art.

Palazzo Dei Conservatori. In Palazzo dei Conservatori’s courtyard reside sundry limbs long separated from their owner, the 12m, fourth-century Colossus of Constantine, whose muscular right arm measures almost two meters; don’t miss your chance to get a picture of yourself beside his big toe. This colossus stood in the basilica in the Forum, a dedication to Constantine’s victory over Maxentius. On a landing before the first floor, four reliefs from a monument to Marcus Aurelius show scenes (right to left) of the emperor offering a sacrifice, driving a triumphal chariot, bestowing clemency on captives (with the same gesture as in his equestrian statue), and receiving the ominous “orb of power.”

At the second landing, a door depicting episodes from the life of Romulus leads to the Sala dei Conservatori. Giuseppe Cesari frescoed the giant main room with episodes from the reigns of the early kings that were linked to the mythological origins of Rome—a little love, a little religion, and a whole lot of carnage. The Spinario, a Hellenistic bronze of a boy quietly picking a splinter out of his foot, is two rooms down (Room III), while the famous Capitoline Wolf, a fifth- or sixth-century BC Etruscan bronze, stands in the center of the next room (Room IV). The She-Wolf is thought to be the work of the renowned Vulca of Veii, although Antonio Pollaiuolo added Romulus and Remus to the sculpture in the 16th century. On the walls are the Fasti, the archival records of the ancient Pontifex Maximus, excavated from the Regia in the forum. The third floor contains a large collection of oil paintings in the Pinacotea Capitoline. Among the masterpieces not purloined by the popes in Room III are Bellini’s Portrait of a Young Man and Titian’s Baptism of Christ. Head through the Cini Gallery to see Caravaggio’s Gypsy Fortune-Teller and his rendition of St. John the Baptist, in which a ram appears instead of the traditional lamb, indicating that the boy portrayed might be Isaac and not John. A few doors down, in the Sala di Santa Petronilla, named for the 12m Il Guercino altarpiece of the burial of said saint, is quite possibly the biggest frame in Rome. Also worth a look is Peter Paul Ruben’s masterpiece Romulus and Remus Fed by the Wolf, as well as a self-portrait by Diego Velazquez.

Palazzo Nuovo. In the underground passageway from Palazzo Conservatori to Palazzo Nuovo, follow the signs for a quick detour to the Tabularium. The balcony underneath the ancient arches provides perhaps the best possible view of the Roman Forum—without the crowds or the heat. Inside the Palazzo Nuovo’s courtyard, the original second-century gilded bronze statue of philosopher-king Marcus Aurelius sits astride his bronze horse (a copy is in the middle of the P. Campidoglio, where the original was intended to stand; the effects of weathering forced the original into more comfortable conditions in 1981), commemorating the empire’s victories over Germanic tribes. The statue is the only equestrian bronze to survive from ancient Rome; most bronzes were melted down during the Middle Ages. Lucky Marcus was spared by mistake, as he was thought to be Constantine, the first Christian emperor. The entryway patio holds Maforio, one of Rome’s five original “talking statues,” to whom people would give messages for the public.

On the second floor, notice the delicate Capitoline Venus in a polygonal room on the right as you walk down the central corridor. One of the more celebrated sculptures in the museum’s expansive collection, it is understood as an allegory of Roman notions of feminine beauty. The Hall of Emperors, to the left at the end of the hallway, showcases 67 busts, including a delicate bust of a Roman woman, Dama Flavia, AD 98-117, with curls that would put Little Orphan Annie to shame. The next room, aptly named the Hall of Philosophers, holds 79 busts and 23 reliefs of figures including Homer, Pythagoras, Socrates, Euripides, and Cicero. Unfortunately, it is difficult to associate names with faces, as the sculptures are woefully unlabeled. (Oh, if only these busts could talk.) At the center of the Hall of Gladiators stands the Statue of the Dying Galation, believed to be originally accompanied by two other Galatian figures now displayed in the Museo Nazionale Romano Palazzo Altemps. The Faun Statue (Room VII) stands out from the rest of the exhibit for its color, if nothing else. It was constructed out of a special red marble called rosso antico and was discovered in Hadrian’s villa in Tivoli.

Galleria Doria Pamphilj. This gemlike gallery on the crowded V. del Corso has proclaimed itself “Heaven on Earth. The only thing better than shopping.” We can think of a few other things we like better than shopping, but we do agree that the Doria Pamphilj is one of them. The Doria Pamphilj family, whose illustrious kin include Pope Innocent X, maintain this stunning private collection in their palatial home. The Classical art is organized by size and theme, sometimes in a witty and irreverent way—original paintings by masters are juxtaposed with their copies, and canvasses are often grouped together for no other reason than symmetry. Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces on show here include Caravaggio’s Rest During the Flight in Egypt and Raphael’s Double Portrait. In its own little chamber toward the back of the museum is Velasquez’s portrait of Innocent X, generally considered to be one of the most outstanding papal portraits of all time. The pope was shocked by the depiction, exclaiming, “It’s too real!” The back gallery’s mirrors, windows, and Murano glass chandeliers evoke the feeling of a miniature Versailles. Don’t miss the audio guide. A member of the Pamphilj clan tells you all you could ever want to know about the history of his family’s villa, from roof cave-ins to debutante balls—and in a plummy British accent to boot. Although you can’t stroll through it, be sure to check out the lovely garden in the building’s courtyard. (V. del Corso 305. Bus #40 express or 64 to P. Venezia. From P. Venezia, walk up V. del Corso and take the 2nd left. ☎06 67 97 323; www.doriapamphilj.it. Open M-W and F-Su 10am-5pm. Last entry at about 4pm. €9, students €6. Informative audio tour in English, French, or Italian included. Cash only.)

Museo Nazionale D’Arte Antica. This collection of 12th- to 18th-century art is split between Palazzo Barberini and Palazzo Corsini. Barberini contains paintings from the medieval through Baroque periods. Don’t miss Rafael’s lover delicately cradling her exposed breast in La Fornarina. Galleria Corsini’s 17th- to 18th-century collection includes works by Rubens, Caravaggio, Bernini, and Brueghel. (Galleria Barberini: V. Barberini 18. A-Barberini. Bus #492 or 62. ☎06 48 14 591, tours ☎85 55 952. Open Tu-Su 8:30am-7:30pm. €5; EU citizens ages 18-24 €2; EU citizens under 18, over 65, and EU students free. Cash only. Galleria Corsini: V. della Lungara 10. Opposite Villa Farnesina in Trastevere. Take bus #23; get off between Ponte Mazzini and Ponte Sisto. ☎06 22 58 24 93. Open Tu-Su 8:30am-7:30pm. Wheelchair-accessible. €4, EU students €2, Italian art students and EU citizens over 65 free. Guidebooks in Italian €10.50. Cash only.)

Galleria Spada.  Cardinal Bernardino Spada bought a large assortment of paintings and sculptures and commissioned an opulent set of rooms to house them. Time and good luck have left the palatial 17th-century apartments nearly intact—a visit to the gallery offers a glimpse of the luxury of Baroque courtly life. Big as the rooms are, the gallery occupies only four rooms of the Palazzo Spada; the rest is the State Council, so mind your behavior.

Before heading into the gallery rooms upstairs, check out Borromini’s use of   3D perspective in the courtyard. The Palazzo Spada was actually smaller than many residences of the Baroque elite. An insecure Cardinal Spada commissioned the architect to create a visual illusion that would snow visitors into thinking his new home was palatial. The result is the design version of a stuffed codpiece. When the trick works, a seemingly life-size statue down what appears to be a long corridor is eventually revealed to be only 3 ft. tall and less than 35 ft. away. When it doesn’t, Borromini seems kind of lame.

A spiral staircase by the entrance to the courtyard will take you up to the galleries. In Room 1 of the gallery’s four rooms, the modest cardinal hung portraits of himself by Guercino, Guido Reni, and Cerini. In Room 2, look for the Tintoretto work Portrait of Archbishop of Luca Stella, Reni’s portrait of St. Jerome, and Prospero Fontana’s Astrologer, complete with astrological globe. There are also several impressive portraits by Titian, including Portrait of a Musician. This painting employs mostly dark colors and is noteworthy for the complete absence of red, the color for which Titian is renowned. In Room 4 are three canvasses by the Gentileschi family, one by Orazio and two by his daughter Artemisia. Father-daughter painters were unusual back in the day, and although the two of them didn’t collaborate on any of the works you see here, they share a gauzy, slightly rounded style of painting that’s clearly a family trait. (P. Capo di Ferro 13, in the Palazzo Spada. Bus #64. From Campo dei Fiori, take any of the small streets leading to P. Farnese. Facing away from Campo dei Fiori, turn left on Capo di Ferro. ☎06 68 32 409. Open Tu-Su 8:30am-7:30pm. Last entry 7pm. Guided tour Su 10:45am from museum book shop. Pamphlet guides in English available for each room of the exhibit. €5, EU citizens 18-25 €2.50, EU citizens under 18 or over 65 free. Guidebooks €10.50. Cash only.)

Keats-Shelley House.  The house where Keats lived until his death in 1821 houses both interesting artifacts and morbid curiosities. On the morbid side are plaster casts of Keats’s face before and after he succumbed to tuberculosis, a lock of his hair, and his deathbed correspondence with his sister. More scholarly exhibits include his impressive library. Creep yourself out and then go write a really long poem about it. Both Keats and Shelley are buried in the Protestant Cemetery at Piramide. (P. di Spagna, 26. A-Spagna. To the right of the Steps as you face them. ☎06 67 84 235; www.keats-shelley-house.org. Open May-Sept. M-F 10am-1pm and 2-6pm, Sa 11am-2pm and 3-6pm. €4, under 18 and over 65 €3, children under 6 free. Tours in English and Italian available.)

Museo Nazionale Romano Palazzo Altemps.   A few steps from the tourist frenzy that is the P. Navona lies the 15th-century Palazzo Altemps, which now houses a collection of ancient Roman sculptures. Arranged around a courtyard, the galleries display Classical works given a modern twist. (Most have been restored and modified over the centuries.) The way the sculptures were altered reveals a great deal about Romans’ preferences—and obsessions—during the 15th through the 19th centuries.

On the ground floor, note the Hermae —statues that portray realistic torsos, but turn into columns below the waist. The genitals of these statues were left visible, legend has it, so that travelers could rub them for good luck. Also on the ground floor is a more modest Parthenon Athena, a first-century BC copy of a fifth-century BC work by Phidias. The bling-encrusted original stood 12m high and flossed a body covered with gold leaf, a head of ivory, and eyes of precious stones. Upstairs you can find the Ludovisi Throne, featuring a relief of Aphrodite being born from the waves. Sculpted in the fifth century BC for the Temple of Epizephiris, the throne was meant to receive the cult statue of the goddess during the annual reenactments of the her birth. Outside the Palazzo’s chapel stands a statue of the Suicidal Gaul, who killed himself and his wife in order not to fall into the hand of the advancing Greeks. This statue is a copy of the original bronze that stood on the acropolis of Pergamum to commemorate the Greeks’ victory over the barbarians in 238-234 BC. Nearby lies a sarcophagus with a striking depiction of a battle scene commemorating AD third-century Roman victories over the Ostrogoths. The sarcophagus has not been restored and is one of Altemps’ most famous pieces. (V. Sant’Apollinare 44. Just north of P. Navona. ☎06 39 96 77 00. Open Tu-Su 9am-7:45pm. Last entry 7pm. €7, EU citizens 18-25 €3, EU citizens under 18 and over 65 free. €3 supplement when special exhibitions are up. Audio guide €4. Guidebook in gift shop €8.20.)

Galleria Colonna.   Spend a morning sitting on a plush velvet couch contemplating priceless works of art under a frescoed ceiling. This 18th-century palazzo holds the Colonna family’s collection, which includes Tintoretto’s Narcissus and Bronzino’s Venus, Cupid, and Satyr. In the next room over from these great works, there’s an ebony desk adorned with an ivory relief of Michelangelo’s The Last Judgment. The grand salon is second in length only to the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. (P. de SS Apostoli 66. Just north of P. Venezia in the Centro Storico. ☎06 66 78 43 50. Open from late Aug. to mid-July Sa 9am-1pm. €10; students, under 10, over 65, military and disabled persons €8. Guided tour included in ticket is at 11am in Italian and 11:45am in English. Tours of Princess Isabella’s apartments available by appointment; groups of 10 required; €13.75 per person.)