Rome's Historical Districts - VIII

BOUNDARY Corso del Rinascimento; piazza delle Cinque Lune; piazza di Sant'Agostino; via di Sant'Agostino; via dei Pianellari; via dei Portoghesi; via della Stelletta; via di Campo Marzio; piazza di Campo Marzio; via della Maddalena; via del Pantheon; piazza della Rotonda; via della Rotonda; piazza di Santa Chiara; via di Torre Argentina; largo Arenula; via Arenula; piazza Benedetto Cairoli; via dei Giubbonari; via dei Chiavari. MAIN FEATURES (the black numbers in brackets refer to the map below) Due to its long and very narrow shape, this rione runs across many of Rome's historical areas, though its boundary does not officially enclose any of the city's famous highlights. In ancient Rome, Sant'Eustachio would have covered the eastern part of the Campus Martius, where several important public buildings stood, but none of them survived the turn of the first millennium.	the lantern of Sant'Ivo's church

	During the late Middle Ages the whole district was rebuilt, with a high density of small private houses for the lower and the middle class. In 1303 Rome's first University was founded in this district. During the early 20th century, some heavy alterations of the old street plan, carried out for traffic reasons, deeply modified the original nucleus of the district.

		The heart of this rione is the small and charming square [1] named after St.Eustachius. Here stands a church dedicated to the saint, over whose front is a stag's head. In fact, it was built on the spot where the Roman soldier is said to have been martyrized. Its present shape dates to the 1720s, but the belltower is still from the medieval structure (late 12th century).		piazza Sant'Eustachio and (left) the stag head above the church

Facing the church is a 16th century building covered with fresco paintings; its decorations include a coat of arms of the Medici family, very powerful in those days, having counted four popes among its members. Instead, on one side of the church two tall columns are the only memory left of the ancient baths of emperor Nero (AD 62) that once stood here; other smaller fragments from the same complex are variously scattered in this district, as well as in other parts of the city (see Porta Pia in Aurelian Walls, part I page 3). The baths spread over a large part of the present district, and were very lavishly decorated. They were damaged by fire and restored more than once, until in the 3rd century emperor Alexander Severus completely rebuilt them on the same spot, renaming the baths of Nero after his own name.

a traditional 'madonnella' shrine decorates an old house in piazza delle Coppelle	In front of the church, in the same square, is one of Rome's most popular cafes, named after the district, where one of the best and strongest coffees in Rome is served; for all locals who happen to pass by this cafe, to stop and enjoy an espresso is really a must, but also a variety of coffee-flavoured sweets are on sale.	the two surviving columns from the baths of Nero

the fountain and obelisk in front of the Pantheon	The district boundary cuts piazza della Rotonda [2] into two halves: the southern part, where the Pantheon stands, belongs to Rione IX, Pigna, while the northern part, with a beautiful 16th century fountain supporting a small Egyptian obelisk from the Temple of Isis (also mentioned in Obelisks page 2), belongs to Sant'Eustachio. Before being moved here in the 18th century, this obelisk could be seen by the small church of San Macuto, not far from this spot, in Rione III Colonna, on the same site where it had probably been unburied during the late Middle Ages. For this reason the obelisk is sometimes referred to as Macuteo. The square is now literally surrounded by bars, cafes, and even by a fast food restaurant which, according to most people who love Rome, should have never been opened right in front of an important historical site such as the Pantheon. Also in the past centuries this square had been spoiled by several taverns and inns, up to the point of obstructing the view over the famous building. For this reason, in 1822 pope Pius VI had them demolished, restoring the original beauty of the site, as remembered by a large plaque in Latin, which reads as follows:

the fountain and obelisk in front of the Pantheon

The district boundary cuts piazza della Rotonda [2] into two halves: the southern part, where the Pantheon stands, belongs to Rione IX, Pigna, while the northern part, with a beautiful 16th century fountain supporting a small Egyptian obelisk from the Temple of Isis (also mentioned in Obelisks page 2), belongs to Sant'Eustachio. Before being moved here in the 18th century, this obelisk could be seen by the small church of San Macuto, not far from this spot, in Rione III Colonna, on the same site where it had probably been unburied during the late Middle Ages. For this reason the obelisk is sometimes referred to as Macuteo.

The square is now literally surrounded by bars, cafes, and even by a fast food restaurant which, according to most people who love Rome, should have never been opened right in front of an important historical site such as the Pantheon.

Also in the past centuries this square had been spoiled by several taverns and inns, up to the point of obstructing the view over the famous building. For this reason, in 1822 pope Pius VI had them demolished, restoring the original beauty of the site, as remembered by a large plaque in Latin, which reads as follows:

the fast food restaurant by the Pantheon: note the plaque referring to Pius VII, above the entrance

It is a funny coincidence that this plaque now overlooks the aforesaid restaurant, almost as an admonishment from the past, although neither the owners nor the many customers seem to be aware of the paradox.

POPE PIUS VII IN THE 23^RD YEAR OF HIS REIGN
RECLAIMED FROM THE DISLIKED UGLINESS
THE AREA IN FRONT OF M. AGRIPPA'S PANTHEON
OCCUPIED BY DISGRACEFUL TAVERNS
BY MEANS OF A MOST WISE DEMOLITION
AND ORDERED TO LEAVE THE VIEW FREE IN A OPEN PLACE

The most beautiful architecture feature in Sant'Eustachio district is probably the nearby complex La Sapienza [3], whose main entrance is located along corso Rinascimento, though it it sometimes accessible also from the back, on one side of piazza Sant'Eustachio.
It includes a 16th century building with a large central courtyard surrounded by a porch on three sides, a work by Giacomo Della Porta, while the fourth side is occupied by the mid 17th century church of Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza, by Francesco Borromini.

the Fountain of the Books	In the 1400s pope Eugene IV moved the see of Rome's University, called La Sapienza (the Knowledge), to a no longer extant building that stood in place of today's church. In the early days, the teachers used to hold their meetings in the nearby church of Sant'Eustachio. Due to the growing number of students, in the late 1500s the aforesaid extension was built. But in 1935 the University had to be moved to a much wider area in a less central position, while this complex was turned into a State Archive. Sant'Ivo, one of Borromini's masterpieces, is famous for having the most elegant lantern among the city's churches: a fantastic Baroque creation whose top part ends with a very ornate spiral, towering over the whole district, and visible from the surrounding streets.	La Sapienza complex

The large building next to the aforesaid complex [4], houses Italy's Senate (i.e. the high chamber of the Parliament). It was originally built in the mid 16th century for Margherita of Austria, daughter of the Holy Roman emperor Charles V, who had married a member of the Sforza family; when the latter was killed, she married a Farnese. This building was her residence in Rome. Since she was addressed as 'Madama' (i.e. Mylady), this has always been called Palazzo Madama.

In the narrow via degli Staderari, which separates La Sapienza complex from the Senate, is Sant'Eustachio's small district fountain (1927), known as the Fountain of the Books, with a stag's head between four volumes that refer to the nearby University.

The same street widens up into a tiny square, where a larger fountain made of Egyptian granite can be seen. The large round basin was unburied on this spot during some works by the Senate's building. It likely belonged to the Baths of Nero, which during the imperial age stretched over this area; in fact, a few remains of the ancient establishment still exist in the basement of the Senate's building.

Palazzo Madama	the ancient roman basin The remain is also mentioned in medieval city guides as concha Sancti Eustachii ("the basin of St.Eustachius"), but it ended up completely covered by earth and rubble, until it was found again in the mid 1980s.

The fountain now consists of two parts: the upper basin (i.e. the original part), and a larger octagonal one (a modern addition) into which the water trickles down.

	The churches of this district are particularly rich of works of art by famous artists. One of them, San Luigi dei Francesi [5], built in the 16th century, is Rome's French church. In one of its chapels are three paintings by Caravaggio, inspired by episodes of the life of St.Matthew. On its façade, instead, two large medallions with a dragon-looking creature on a burning pire draw the attention of the visitor: this is the curious heraldic device of the French king Francis I (1515-47); the featured animal, a salamander, was commonly believed to survive the flames.

The churches of this district are particularly rich of works of art by famous artists.
One of them, San Luigi dei Francesi [5], built in the 16th century, is Rome's French church. In one of its chapels are three paintings by Caravaggio, inspired by episodes of the life of St.Matthew. On its façade, instead, two large medallions with a dragon-looking creature on a burning pire draw the attention of the visitor: this is the curious heraldic device of the French king Francis I (1515-47); the featured animal, a salamander, was commonly believed to survive the flames.

The other church, Sant'Agostino [6], is one of Rome's earliest Renaissance buildings (1483). Inside the church, one of its pillars is decorated with a fresco painted by Raphael (the Prophet Isaiah, below), hanging just above a fine marble group by Andrea Sansovino (the Virgin Mary with the Child and St.Anne), both 1512.	(above left) one of the medallions with the salamander; (below) fancy street notices in via dei Pianellari

In the same church also a painting by Caravaggio is on display, the Madonna of Loreto (c.1605), also known as Madonna of the Pilgrims after the two figures in the foreground: this is a crude, realistic representation of the Virgin as a commoner, worshipped by two elderly peasants, due to which the famous artist's painting was originally frowned upon by the clerics of the church. A further gem in Sant'Agostino is a marble statue of the Virgin and Child, known as the Madonna of Childbirth, very reminiscent of Michelangelo's own style, carved by one of the famous artist's most skilled disciples, Jacopo Sansovino; curiously, the making of this group was inspired by an ancient sitting statue of god Apollo, now in a museum in Naples. The Madonna of Childbirth is traditionally worshipped by pregnant women, who leave there ribbons, pictures, napkins, etc. as a token of gratitude after their children's birth.	'no dumping' plaque by Sant'Agostino's church

In the same church also a painting by Caravaggio is on display, the Madonna of Loreto (c.1605), also known as Madonna of the Pilgrims after the two figures in the foreground: this is a crude, realistic representation of the Virgin as a commoner, worshipped by two elderly peasants, due to which the famous artist's painting was originally frowned upon by the clerics of the church.
A further gem in Sant'Agostino is a marble statue of the Virgin and Child, known as the Madonna of Childbirth, very reminiscent of Michelangelo's own style, carved by one of the famous artist's most skilled disciples, Jacopo Sansovino; curiously, the making of this group was inspired by an ancient sitting statue of god Apollo, now in a museum in Naples. The Madonna of Childbirth is traditionally worshipped by pregnant women, who leave there ribbons, pictures, napkins, etc. as a token of gratitude after their children's birth.

'no dumping' plaque by Sant'Agostino's church

(from the left) Caravaggio · St.Mathew and the Angel; Raphael · Prophet Isaiah; Jacopo Sansovino · Madonna of Childbirth; Caravaggio · Madonna of the Pilgrims

Outside, on the left side of St.Agostino's, well above the street level, is one of Rome's oldest "no dumping" plaques (described in Curious and Unusual page 3): it carries a threat for those who left their litter by the church of being punished by "...personal arrest, a 25 golden Scudi fine, 3 tugs of the 'rope', and other penalties as stated by the decree of July 6, 1646".

Sant'Andrea della Valle: the disliked angel (detail
on the right) stands only on one side of the façade

At the opposite end of corso Rinascimento is the church of Sant'Andrea della Valle [7] (early 17th century), known for its huge dome, the second in size after St.Peter's own. The statue of an angel can be seen on the left side of the façade, while on the right side its twin is missing. Actually, two angels had been committed to sculptor Giacomo Antonio Fancelli; but after the first one was set into place, it was bitterly criticised for its excessively long wing, and even the pope did not appreciate it much. The resentful sculptor refused to carry on with the second statue, challenging the pope to carve a better angel by himself. So the right half of the façade was left without a statue.

In this church two early Renaissance popes are buried, Pius II (1458-64) and Pius III (1503), both members of the Piccolomini family. Their tall tombs, almost twins in shape, were originally located in St.Peter's. They were moved here when the basilica was rebuilt, over the 1500s, and are one of the few monuments spared from the original Vatican church.

The pretty fountain in front of Sant'Andrea della Valle, now acting as a traffic roundabout, originally stood in a central square of Rione XIV, Borgo. When the district was extensively demolished in the 1930s, the fountain was spared, and moved here some twenty years later.

On the left side of the church, instead, is one of Rome's 'talking statues', known as the Abbot Louis.

the curious capitol

In a narrow lane nearby, called via dei Redentoristi, a plaque hung by the doorway of number 13 [8] remembers the famous dialect poet Giuseppe Gioachino Belli, who was born there in 1791.
At the opposite end of the same lane, on the corner of a building stands an ancient column, whose capitol is topped by a weird-looking grinning figure with a pair of bat-like wings.

At the very bottom of Sant'Eustachio district, on the boundary with Regola, the church of San Carlo ai Catinari [9] (c.1620) boasts the third largest dome in Rome.

Belli's birthplace