Vittoriano

Not to miss

The gate
The Action by Francesco Jerace
The Sacrifice by Leonardo Bistolfi
The fountains
The statue of Victor Emmanuel II on horseback
The base of the statue of Victor Emmanuel II on horseback
The block of stone from Monte Grappa
The cycle of the Italian Regions.
The mosaics by Giulio Bargellini
Botticino Marble
The bust of Giuseppe Sacconi

What to see

Main entrance
Stairway
The sculptural groups on the first balustrade
Altar of the Fatherland and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
The Doors of Liberty and Unity
The statue of Victor Emanuel II on horseback and its base
Piazzale del Bollettino
The Main Colonnade
The triumphal columns
Propylaea of Liberty and Unity
Central Museum of the Risorgimento
Imperial Forums Wing
Terrazza Italia
Panoramic Terrace
Zanardelli Hall
The Atrium of Liberty
The Giuseppe Sacconi Atrium
The Giuseppe Sacconi Galleries
The underground areas

History

Victor Emmanuel II and the Risorgimento process
The genesis of the Vittoriano: the two competitions
Giuseppe Sacconi and the construction of the Vittoriano (1885-1905)
Victor Emmanuel III and the inauguration in 1911
The new development of the Monument following the First World War
The fascist period and the Second World War (1922-1945)
Post-war: contradictions
The rebirth
The First World War and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier



Altar of the Fatherland

Not to miss

The Goddess Rome by Angelo Zanelli.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
The Guard of Honour at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

History

The origins
The idea of the Altar of the Fatherland
The 1908 competition
The victory of Angelo Zanelli
A long gestation
The invention of the Unknown Soldier
The burial ceremony of the Unknown Soldier
The Altar of the Fatherland in the Fascist era and the arrangement of Armando Brasini
The Altar of the Fatherland today, the legacy of a "united, independent, free and democratic Italy"

What to see

The Altar of the Fatherland
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier



Central Museum of the Risorgimento

History

The origins of the Museum
The Vittoriano, from monument to museum showcase
The first concrete steps towards the Museum
The Museum of the Risorgimento includes the Great War.
A new location for the Museum of the Risorgimento in the Vittoriano
Opening to the public
A museum for the new millennium

What to see

Liberty undermined by tyranny
Portrait of a scholar-patriot in prison by Vincenzo Niccolini
Tricolour sash by Giuditta Bellerio Sidoli
Portrait of Giuseppe Mazzini
Attilio Bandiera's Travel Bag
Flag of the Italian Legion in Uruguay from 1846
A puzzle in honour of Pius IX for the amnesty of 1846
Officer’s helmet of the Civic Guard of Pius IX
Preparatory drawing for the satirical journal "Don Pirlone”
Flag of the Roman Republic of 1849
Sketch of the memorial to General Enrico Cialdini and the fallen of the battle of 18 September 1860 in Castelfidardo by Vito Pardo
Album of the Thousand by Alessandro Pavia
Death mask of Camillo Benso di Cavour
Soldiers by Girolamo Induno
Giuseppe Garibaldi’s Blue Jeans
Bourbon prisoners on the Volturno Line by Michele Tedesco
Photograph of the breach of Porta Pia on 20 September 1870 by Ludovico Tuminello
Portrait bust of Queen Margherita of Savoy
Bust of Gaetano Carolei, Gold Medal of Military Valour recipient, by Roberto Melli
Red Cross nurse’s uniform
The Sky over Saint Mark’s by Anselmo Bucci
Reliquary with a lock of Nazario Sauro’s hair
Victory Bulletin
Gun carriage used to transport the Unknown Soldier in 1921

Not to miss

Flag of the Italian Legion in Uruguay from 1846
Sketch of the Memorial to General Cialdini and the fallen in the battle of 18th September 1860, at Castelfidardo
Album of the Thousand by Alessandro Pavia
Giuseppe Garibaldi’s Blue Jeans
Stretcher used to rescue Garibaldi, wounded at Aspromonte in 1862
Bust of Gaetano Carolei, Gold Medal of Military Valour recipient
Gun carriage used to transport the Unknown Soldier in 1921



Panoramic Terrace

History

Giuseppe Mazzini’s vision
Giuseppe Sacconi’s project
The competition for the quadrigae
The 1911 ‘dress rehearsal’
Quick thinking and problem solving
Silhouetted against the Roman sky
A spectacle for everyone

What to see

The Quadriga of Liberty by Paolo Bartolini
The Quadriga of Unity by Carlo Fontana
The panorama to the north-west
The panorama to the north-east
The panorama to the south
The panorama to the south-west

Not to miss

The Quadriga of Liberty by Paolo Bartolini
The Quadriga of Unity by Carlo Fontana



Imperial forums wing

History

Finding a solution for the side overlooking the Imperial Forums
Armando Brasini’s project
Difficult years
Present and future



Palazzo Venezia

History

The foundation of the palace
Towards late Renaissance
The new centre of Rome
Embassy of the Republic of Venice
Austria, France and then Austria again.
At last the Kingdom of Italy
The arrival of Benito Mussolini
Back to normal
Recent past, present and future

What to see

Main façade and atrium
Barbo Apartment
La Loggia delle Benedizioni
Sala del Mappamondo
Sala delle Battaglie
Sala Regia
Cybo Apartment
Altoviti Room
Passetto dei Cardinali and Querini Apartment
Palazzetto
Giardino grande
Staircase of Honour
Attics, walkways and roof terraces

Not to miss

The bust of Pope Paul II Barbo by Mino da Fiesole
The medallion of Paul II Barbo
Fresco frieze with the Labours of Hercules
The lunette of the Niche dei Palliums
The Christ Pantocrator
Madonna of Acuto
The Head of a Woman by Nicola Pisano
The Face of Christ by Beato Angelico
The Stories of St. Jerome by Mino da Fiesole
The Altoviti frescoes by Giorgio Vasari
The two friends by Giorgione
The bust of Pius V Ghislieri
The dish with the myth of Aesacus by Francesco Xanto Avelli
The apothecary set of San Pietro in Montefiascone
The Billy Goat by il Riccio
The Miracles of St. Mark by Jacopo Sansovino
The model for the Memorial to Sister Maria Raggi by Gian Lorenzo Bernini
The bust of Innocent X Pamphilj by Alessandro Algardi
The foot soldier’s armour by Michael Witz the Younger



Archaeology and Art History Library

History

The origins
For Italian scholars, and thus for the nation
Palazzo Venezia
The arrival of the Rodolfo Lanciani Archive
The war and a return to normalcy
Not only for specialists
The search for more space: the Roman College
In-person and online visitors
The future

What to see

The rooms in Palazzo Venezia
The ‘Crociera’ and the Reading Room in the Roman College building

Not to miss

The Alfredo Castellani Archive
The Giulio Quirino Giglioli Archive
The Lanciani Archive
The Alfredo Dusmet Archive
The Ugo Monneret de Villard Archive
The Rocco Pagliara Archive
The Corrado Ricci Archive
The Attilio Rossi Archive
The Fabrizio Ruffo Archive
The Marcello Venturoli Archive

Resources