https://cgmr.carleton.edu/files/original/200c2f9c13b7d74891ffd983a8fde7f5.JPG bffd1b0bd39c2cb6d3006729abaff7ae https://cgmr.carleton.edu/files/original/5bd0832dc8b676fe8f89e3c9a819520e.jpg 036c5090e9f6895b9c51d254bab8b813 Place A location with a street address or larger region. Examples include building, statue, piazza, fountain, port, neighborhood, paintings, sculptures, frescoes, floors. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Torre dei Conti: Protecting Papal Processions Description An account of the resource The Torre dei Conti still guards the base of the steep Salita del Grillo road, as it has since its construction in the early thirteenth century when it was built by the Conti Pope Innocent III. Some claim that he used church funds to build the tower, which is why he later built the Santo Spirito Hospital as a way to atone for his actions. The tower was built at the same time as the Torre delle Milizie with similar techniques and as a result, the towers looked similar. The Torre dei Conti was built in stages due to structural issues. It was remodeled and restored throughout its history, but due to earthquakes and defective supports it had partially collapsed by the 17th century. Because of this, the top parts of the tower were eventually demolished, leaving only the base that we can see today. On the base we can see black and white bands of decoration, made from basalt and limestone chips. In addition to showing the power and wealth of the family that could decorate their tower in this way, the black and white bands were also an indication that it was a Conti building, since such a design was commonly included on their buildings. Although the tower today stands alone, it was originally built as part of a typical baronial fortified complex. It also formed part of a larger fortification of the street Salita del Grillo that included two other towers, the Torre del Grillo and the Torre delle Milizie. The street formed part of the papal processional route from the Lateran to the Vatican, so these fortifications were meant to protect familial papal interests. The other major route between the Lateran and the Vatican passed through the Roman Forum that was controlled by the rival Frangipane family, so by fortifying the Salita del Grillo the Conti and the allied Annibaldi ensured a safe passage for their popes away from the interference of the Frangipane. As such, the tower not only emphasized the power and status of the Conti family, but also made claims about their right to a place among the Roman families who controlled the papacy. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Madison McBride (2016) and Elizabeth Budd (2019) Edited by Julia Tassava (2026) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Brentano, Robert. Rome Before Avignon: A Social History of Thirteenth Century Rome. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1990. Hart, Vaughan and Peter Hicks, trans. Palladio’s Rome. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006. Keyvanian, Carla. Hospitals and Urbanism in Rome, 1200-1500. Leiden: Brill, 2015. Krautheimer, Richard. Rome: Profile of a City, 312-1308. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2000. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context contipapal_2017 Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Torre dei Conti, 00184 Roma RM Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1200s Towers