The second most important hill in Rome was Quirinal, a hill dedicated to Quirinus, the god of war. According to legend, the first king of Rome, Romulus, gave this land for settlement to the Sabines, whose daughters were stolen by Romulus’ soldiers during a feast.
After reconciliation with the relatives of the girls, a temple in honor of Quirinus was erected on the hill, and the settlers living on it were called Quirites. Excavations confirm that the tribe of Sabines really lived here in the times of ancient Rome. In addition, on the Quirinal (as well as on the Capitol) there was a temple to the three supreme deities – Jupiter, Juno and Minerva, as well as the temple of Mars.
The hill is located in the northeastern part of the city and is the highest among the seven legendary Roman hills. Its height is 61 meters. And from the top of the hill there is a magnificent panorama of the entire Eternal City, up to St. Peter’s Cathedral.
However, everything that now surrounds tourists on the Quirinale, did not appear immediately. During the Republic, the nobility settled here, as the area was rich in vegetation and there was always a refreshing breeze, which was especially pleasant on hot days.
This fashion came to Rome after the Romans conquered Greece and became familiar with Greek culture. The House of Tamphilius was located here, Narcissus, the father of Emperor Elagabalus, and Flavius Sabinus, the brother of Emperor Vespasian, lived here.
Vespasian himself also has rebuilt the house on this hill which subsequently has been transformed in a temple of Flavius family. Caracalla erected here a temple in honor of the god Serapidus, and Constantine I the Great built thermae.
In the 16th century A.D. the hill was occupied by representatives of the Church. First, Cardinal Oliviero Caraf built a small country residence here. After him, Pope Paul III Farnese settled in the residence. In 1550 the residence was given to Cardinal Hippolytus d’Este, who rebuilt the palace and laid out the garden.
In 1574 Pope Gregory XIII began the famous long construction – the Quirinal Palace. Its construction lasted more than 200 years, and ended under Pope Clement XII. Naturally, several architects changed during the construction. Among them were such famous maestros as Bernini, Fontana, Moderno and Longi. Despite this, the palace – a huge square building with an inner courtyard – designed in the Baroque style, has no frills or any decorations.
Within the walls of this historic landmark, Galileo, known to everyone since high school, was once tried for undermining the Church with his ideas and assertions.
At this time, many gazebos, fountains, antique sculptures, exotic trees and flowers appeared in the surrounding area.
In 1808, Napoleon occupied Italy and made a prison out of the papal residence. A few years later he ordered the palace to be reconstructed for him. The architect Stern worked here on frescoes glorifying Napoleon’s exploits. Nevertheless, in 1814 Pope Pius VII was able to assert his ownership of the palace.
In 1871 the Quirinal Palace became the residence of the King of United Italy – Victor Emmanuel II. And since 1947 it has been the official residence of the President of the Italian Republic. But the leaders of the state do not visit here often.
The palace is open to the public on Sundays from 8.30 to 12.00. Almost all the walls are decorated with paintings by Lanfranco, da Cortona, Reni. The Royal Hall is decorated with frescoes of religious themes. The cost of visiting the museum is 5 euros. On any day at 15:50 you can observe the procedure of changing the guard.
Near the palace there are beautiful classical gardens. However, tourists are not allowed there. But you can look at them through the gate (until you are not interested in the guard).
In front of the palace is the Piazza del Quirinale with the Dioscurus Fountain by Domenico Fontana. The fountain was named after the marble statues of the legendary twin Dioscuri leading their horses under the reins.
These statues were found in the Thermae of Constantine, built in 315 and located here on the Quirinale (in addition to the Dioscuri’s statues, two statues of Constantine were found in the thermae, one of which is now in the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano and the other in the Capitoline Museum).
The Dioscuri statues are set at the foot of an Egyptian obelisk that was found near the Mausoleum of Augustus. The smooth red granite obelisk, without inscriptions, was erected in the square in 1786. Its height is 14.63 meters, and it is the twin of the obelisk at Esquiline.
To the right of the Piazza Quirinal is another ancient building, the Palazzo della Consulta, which has been occupied by the Constitutional Court since 1995. The building itself was built in 1737 by Pope Clement XII.
In the left corner of the square is the building of the Papal Stables (Scuderie papali), restored by the architect Guy Aulenti, where art exhibitions are held.
If you go around the Consulta Palace on the left side and walk one block along Via della Consulta, you will reach the intersection with Via Nazionale. Turning left and walking along Via Nazionale for about 700 meters will bring us to Piazza della Repubblica, the former Piazza Exedra.
The old name was derived from the large exedra of Diocletian’s Thermae, a semicircular deep niche with a half-dome. The form of the ancient exedra is repeated in the colonnade that bounds the square from the southwest. Semicircular palazzos with porticoes were erected in 1887-1898 according to the project of architect Gaetano Koch.
These palaces now house a luxury hotel with thermae, just like in the old days. The square itself was rebuilt and renamed in 1885. Territorially, it is now Viminal Hill.
At the same time, the Fontana delle Naiadi, commissioned by Pope Pius IX in 1870, was moved here. The fountain acquired its present form and name in 1901 after it was decorated with four bronze nymphs by Mario Rutelli.
The nymph of the lake sits on a swan, the nymph of the river dashingly rides a river monster, the nymph of the ocean has a seahorse the size of a horse, and the nymph of the underground waters sits on a dragon.
In the center of the bowl of the Fountain, in the battle with a dolphin froze bronze young man – a sea deity with fins, fish tail and gills. The whole composition symbolizes the victory of man over the natural elements.
In the early 20th century, the nude statues caused a storm of protests. Conservatives considered the fountain so immoral that at first it was enclosed by a wooden fence. But, eventually, the city authorities recognized it as progressive, and opened the sensual statues of naiads to the view of passers-by.
On the other side of the square are the Thermae (baths) of Diocletian. Their construction began in 298. The baths accommodated 3000 people at a time on an area of 13 hectares. The square itself was once the garden of these baths. The ruins of the baths include the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli (S.Maria degli Angeli), designed by Michelangelo in 1562.
Going back 30 meters along Via Nazionale, we find ourselves on Via Torino and follow it 180 meters to the right, returning to the Quirinal. We are at the church of San Bernardo alle Terme (Chiesa di San Bernardo alle Terme). Diocletian’s thermae were once here too. They were surrounded by a wall with four towers.
In 1598 the church for Caterina Sforza was built on the site of one of the towers, preserving its rounded shape. Inside, the church resembles the Pantheon, especially with its 22-meter high dome. Around the perimeter are eight niches containing statues of saints from the 17th century.
Opposite, across Piazza di San Bernardo, is the Church of Santa Susanna (Chiesa di Santa Susanna alle Terme di Diocleziano). It is one of the oldest Roman churches. St. Susanna was a martyr during the time of Diocletian. A basilica was erected over her house in the 4th century.
The church of Santa Susanna acquired its present form in 1592-1605 by the project of Carlo Maderno. Since 1922 the church belongs to the USA. Inside there is one nave, the walls are covered with mosaics from the life of St. Susanna. You can pay attention to the lacunar ceiling with the Madonna in the center and the coat of arms of Cardinal Rusticucci.
To the right, across Largo di Santo Susanna, are the Fontana del Mose and the Chiesa di Santa Maria della Vittoria. The fountain was built in 1587, designed by Domenico Fontana. The church houses Bernini’s famous sculpture “Ecstasy of St. Teresa”.
We cross the street back and walk to the right along the left bending arc of Via Barberini. In less than 500 meters we will see Piazza Barberini. On the left, in front of the square, is a palace, the Palazzo Barberini. Vineyards once grew here and in 1549 a small palace was built. The site passed from one cardinal to another until in 1625 Cardinal Alessandro Sforza sold the site to Maffeo Barberini, Pope Urban VIII.
Barberini decided to build a grand palace, the design for which he commissioned Carlo Maderno. The architect developed the idea of a palace-villa, which included both a residential complex and huge gardens, which was an innovation in those days (the extensive garden was later destroyed).
From 1627 Carlo Maderno was assisted by his nephew Francesco Borromini. In 1629, Maderno died and work on the palace was continued by Bernini, with Borromini as his assistant. The palace was completed by 1633.
In 1949, the heirs of the Barberini family sold the building to the State. The National Gallery is now housed in the building and its collection includes works of art such as Raphael’s Fornarina,
Caravaggio’s Judith with the Head of Holofernes, Holbein’s portrait of Henry VIII and others. In the garden of the palace is the Mithraeum, one of the best preserved pagan shrines of Mithras in Rome. The fresco depicts the god Mithras slaying a bull from which blood gushes out onto a dog and a snake.
The Piazza Barberini itself was arranged as an annex to the Palazzo Barberini. It separates the Quirinal from the Pincio Hill. In the center of the square is the Fontana del Tritone (Fountain of Tritone), which is a symbol of Rome and one of the most characteristic fountains. It is Bernini’s masterpiece from 1642. Tritone, surrounded by dolphins, blows into a huge basin from which water flows into a low bowl.
At the intersection of the square with Via Vittorio Veneto is the Fountain of the Bees, designed by Lorenzo Bernini in 1644. Three bees sit on a bowl of water, releasing jets of water. The bee is the symbol of the Barberini family.
At the opposite corner of the Fountain of Bees, the square meets Via delle Quattro Fontane. If we walk along this street for 250 meters, we will come to the Church of San Carlino alle Quattro Fontane (Chiesa di San Carlino alle Quattro Fontane), designed by Bernini’s rival Francesco Borromini.
The church is dedicated to the Archbishop of Milan, Carlo Borromeo, and to the Holy Trinity. It was erected in 1634-1644. The facade was completed after the death of the architect in 1667. The interior decoration of the church is made of simple light materials in accordance with the wishes of the Order of the Holy Trinity.
In plan it is a Greek cross, on the sides of which there are two side chapels. The aisle in the lower part of the church was intended as a burial place for the architect, but Borromini was buried in the church of San Giovanni Battista dei Fiorentini. In the niches above the entrance there are sculptures (among them a sculpture of Carlo Borromini).
Here, at the crossroads, is also a group of four fountains. It was erected in 1588-1593 by order of Pope Sixtus V. Each corner of the crossroads is decorated with a travertine statue: two male figures represent the Tiber and the Arno, the female figures are Diana and Juno.
Turning from the crossroads to the right of the church, we will reach Via del Quirinale and after 200 meters we will see the Church of Sant Andrea al Quirinale (Chiesa di Sant Andrea al Quirinale), which was designed by Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini in 1658-1671 for the Jesuit order. It is an example of elegant Roman Baroque. Walking a little further, we will return to the Quirinal Square to the Quirinal Palace and the Fountain of the Dioscuri.
Piazza della Repubblica and Piazza Barberini have metro stations with similar names.
