Cola on the Capitoline
Title
Cola on the Capitoline
Description
Now Cola de Rienzi, though still somewhat fearful, gathered his courage and set out, together with the Pope’s vicar, and climbed to the Palace of the Campidoglio in the year of our Lord thirteen forty-six. He had a force of about one hundred armed man. A huge crowd of people gathered, and Cola mounted the platform and made an eloquent speech on the misery and servitude of the people of Rome. He said that he was exposing his person to danger for the love of the Pope and the salvation of the people of Rome. (Life of Cola di Rienzo, I.5 p. 41)
For Cola di Rienzo, the Campidoglio served not only as a seat of power, but also as a connection to the ancient Rome which he sought to replicate. As the historic site of Roman government and the Palazzo Senatorio, the Capitoline hill represented both the imperial and senatorial rule of ancient Rome. Cola’s march to the hill and ensuing speech gathered the attention of the Roman citizens because of the populace’s association of this place with the glorified Roman past. Cola later restored and fortified the Palazzo di Campidoglio, further strengthening his connection to imperial lineage of ancient Rome in the minds of the 14th-century citizens of Rome.
Upon reaching the top of the stairs of the Capitoline Hill, the modern visitor will witness Michelangelo’s Piazza del Campidoglio, which was built during the 16th century. The complex includes a statue of Marcus Aurelius surrounded by three large buildings: from left to right is the Palazzo Nuovo, Palazzo Senatorio, and the Palazzo dei Conservatori, which are now all parts of the Capitoline museum. Despite the political symbol that these buildings represent, only the Palazzo Senatorio was built during the 12th century; the other two buildings were built during the Renaissance period. Cola’s palace at the Campidoglio was burned down during his death in 1353 by a crowd of the same Roman citizens who had supported his rise to power only seven years earlier.
For Cola di Rienzo, the Campidoglio served not only as a seat of power, but also as a connection to the ancient Rome which he sought to replicate. As the historic site of Roman government and the Palazzo Senatorio, the Capitoline hill represented both the imperial and senatorial rule of ancient Rome. Cola’s march to the hill and ensuing speech gathered the attention of the Roman citizens because of the populace’s association of this place with the glorified Roman past. Cola later restored and fortified the Palazzo di Campidoglio, further strengthening his connection to imperial lineage of ancient Rome in the minds of the 14th-century citizens of Rome.
Upon reaching the top of the stairs of the Capitoline Hill, the modern visitor will witness Michelangelo’s Piazza del Campidoglio, which was built during the 16th century. The complex includes a statue of Marcus Aurelius surrounded by three large buildings: from left to right is the Palazzo Nuovo, Palazzo Senatorio, and the Palazzo dei Conservatori, which are now all parts of the Capitoline museum. Despite the political symbol that these buildings represent, only the Palazzo Senatorio was built during the 12th century; the other two buildings were built during the Renaissance period. Cola’s palace at the Campidoglio was burned down during his death in 1353 by a crowd of the same Roman citizens who had supported his rise to power only seven years earlier.
Creator
Andy Hoyt (2019)
Source
Ghisalberti, Alberto Maria, and John Wright. The Life of Cola Di Rienzo. Toronto: Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, 1975.
Date
n.d.
Identifier
colacapitoline_2017
Spatial Coverage
Piazza del Campidoglio, 00186 Roma RM
Description
Now Cola de Rienzi, though still somewhat fearful, gathered his courage and set out, together with the Pope’s vicar, and climbed to the Palace of the Campidoglio in the year of our Lord thirteen forty-six. He had a force of about one hundred armed man. A huge crowd of people gathered, and Cola mounted the platform and made an eloquent speech on the misery and servitude of the people of Rome. He said that he was exposing his person to danger for the love of the Pope and the salvation of the people of Rome. (Life of Cola di Rienzo, I.5 p. 41)For Cola di Rienzo, the Campidoglio served not only as a seat of power, but also as a connection to the ancient Rome which he sought to replicate. As the historic site of Roman government and the Palazzo Senatorio, the Capitoline hill represented both the imperial and senatorial rule of ancient Rome. Cola’s march to the hill and ensuing speech gathered the attention of the Roman citizens because of the populace’s association of this place with the glorified Roman past. Cola later restored and fortified the Palazzo di Campidoglio, further strengthening his connection to imperial lineage of ancient Rome in the minds of the 14th-century citizens of Rome.
Upon reaching the top of the stairs of the Capitoline Hill, the modern visitor will witness Michelangelo’s Piazza del Campidoglio, which was built during the 16th century. The complex includes a statue of Marcus Aurelius surrounded by three large buildings: from left to right is the Palazzo Nuovo, Palazzo Senatorio, and the Palazzo dei Conservatori, which are now all parts of the Capitoline museum. Despite the political symbol that these buildings represent, only the Palazzo Senatorio was built during the 12th century; the other two buildings were built during the Renaissance period. Cola’s palace at the Campidoglio was burned down during his death in 1353 by a crowd of the same Roman citizens who had supported his rise to power only seven years earlier.