Palazzo Altemps

Title

Palazzo Altemps

Subject

Houses and Gardens

Description

Though it is now the home of an expansive museum of art as one of the branches of the National Roman Museum, the Palazzo Altemps has a long history of noble occupation. From the time of the ancient Romans the site was one of the largest marble warehouses in the ancient city, just 160 meters up the Tiber from the Ponte Elio, one of the two marble ports of Rome. You can see part of the excavations today in one of the museum’s wings.

In 1477, during a period of urbanization on the Campus Martius, Girolamo Riario, nephew of Pope Sixtus IV, began construction of what would become the Palazzo Altemps. Due to their relation to the Pope, the Riario family had significant influence over politics in Rome, and during Sixtus' papacy the Riario family built on a massive scale, with projects including the Cancelleria and Palazzo Corsini.

Following the initial construction of the Palazzo Altemps, Cardinal Francesco Soderini purchased the palace in 1511. During his residency he renovated the palace. However his renovations did not last the rest of the century. Cardinal Marco Sittico Altemps, who lends his name to the palace today, purchased the palace in 1568 to house his expansive art collection. Among his art collection include mostly statues in the classical vein. Upon his purchase he commissioned an extreme makeover of the palace, covering the courtyard, the church of Ancietus, and the loggia as they appear today. While Sittico’s collection is featured in some place in some places, the Boncampagni Ludiovisi and Egyptian collections are far more prominent within the museum, both of which are extremely classical in their aesthetics and history.

Abstract

Though it is now the home of an expansive museum of art as one of the branches of the National Roman Museum, the Palazzo Altemps has a long history of noble occupation. From the time of the ancient Romans, the site provided one of the largest marble warehouses in the ancient city, just 160 meters up the Tiber from the Ponte Elio, one of the two marble ports of Rome. You can see part of the excavations today in one of the museum’s wings.

Creator

Charles Martens (2017)

Source

Lalupa. Roma, Palazzo Altemps: Cortile Maggiore, photo, March 2, 2007. http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palazzo_Altemps#/media/File:Palazzo_Altemps_-_cortile_1010531.JPG

"National Roman Museum: The Palazzo Altemps." Soprintendenza Speciale per il Colosseo, il MNR, e l'Area Archaeologica di Roma. Date Accessed June 3, 2015. http://archeoroma.beniculturali.it/en/museums/national-roman-museum-palazzo-altemps

"Palazzo Altemps." Tiscali. Date Accessed May 31, 2015. http://web.tiscali.it/romaonlineguide/Pages/eng/rbarocca/sBHy15.htm

"Palazzo Altemps." Rome Guide. Date Accessed May 31, 2015. http://www.romeguide.it/ALTEMPS/palazzoaltemps.htm

"Palazzo Altemps: Museo Nazionale Romano." A View on Cities. Date Accessed May 31, 2015. http://www.aviewoncities.com/rome/palazzoaltemps.htm

Identifier

palazzoaltemps_2015

Coverage

1400s

Spatial Coverage

Piazza di Sant'Apollinare, 46, 00186 Roma RM

Description

Though it is now the home of an expansive museum of art as one of the branches of the National Roman Museum, the Palazzo Altemps has a long history of noble occupation. From the time of the ancient Romans the site was one of the largest marble warehouses in the ancient city, just 160 meters up the Tiber from the Ponte Elio, one of the two marble ports of Rome. You can see part of the excavations today in one of the museum’s wings.

In 1477, during a period of urbanization on the Campus Martius, Girolamo Riario, nephew of Pope Sixtus IV, began construction of what would become the Palazzo Altemps. Due to their relation to the Pope, the Riario family had significant influence over politics in Rome, and during Sixtus' papacy the Riario family built on a massive scale, with projects including the Cancelleria and Palazzo Corsini.

Following the initial construction of the Palazzo Altemps, Cardinal Francesco Soderini purchased the palace in 1511. During his residency he renovated the palace. However his renovations did not last the rest of the century. Cardinal Marco Sittico Altemps, who lends his name to the palace today, purchased the palace in 1568 to house his expansive art collection. Among his art collection include mostly statues in the classical vein. Upon his purchase he commissioned an extreme makeover of the palace, covering the courtyard, the church of Ancietus, and the loggia as they appear today. While Sittico’s collection is featured in some place in some places, the Boncampagni Ludiovisi and Egyptian collections are far more prominent within the museum, both of which are extremely classical in their aesthetics and history.

Creator

Charles Martens (2017)

Coverage

1400s

Source

Lalupa. Roma, Palazzo Altemps: Cortile Maggiore, photo, March 2, 2007. http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palazzo_Altemps#/media/File:Palazzo_Altemps_-_cortile_1010531.JPG

"National Roman Museum: The Palazzo Altemps." Soprintendenza Speciale per il Colosseo, il MNR, e l'Area Archaeologica di Roma. Date Accessed June 3, 2015. http://archeoroma.beniculturali.it/en/museums/national-roman-museum-palazzo-altemps

"Palazzo Altemps." Tiscali. Date Accessed May 31, 2015. http://web.tiscali.it/romaonlineguide/Pages/eng/rbarocca/sBHy15.htm

"Palazzo Altemps." Rome Guide. Date Accessed May 31, 2015. http://www.romeguide.it/ALTEMPS/palazzoaltemps.htm

"Palazzo Altemps: Museo Nazionale Romano." A View on Cities. Date Accessed May 31, 2015. http://www.aviewoncities.com/rome/palazzoaltemps.htm

Geolocation