The Capitoline Hill is one of the seven on which the Eternal City stands, the lowest (46 metres above sea level) and flattest of all. But it is also the most significant for the history of Rome. It is here that the history of the great Roman civilisation began, giving the world Caesars and gladiators, great generals, philosophers, scientists and poets. According to legend, it was here that the Capitoline she-wolf fed the brothers Remus and Romulus, from here the words "coin" and money originated, here Michelangelo created, and today the Roman mayor's office sits.
History
In the 5th century BC. Capitol was surrounded by massive walls and actively developed with administrative buildings and temples. Temples were built here to glorify the major Roman gods - Jupiter, Juno Coin and Minerva. Piety and piety of Romans was combined with amazing practicality. And temples were used not only for offerings, but also for domestic purposes. Thus, in the temple of Juno Coin (translated as "helper", "mentor") minted money. And it is from the nickname of the goddess came the words "coin" and money.
Over the following centuries, the buildings of the Capitol were rebuilt, burned, destroyed and by the V century, the decline of the Roman Empire, so dilapidated that on the Capitoline Hill grazed goats. The culprit of the second birth of the square, without realising it, was Emperor Charles V, who gathered with a visit to Rome. Pope Paul III was uncomfortable showing the once sacred square completely destroyed, and he ordered the project of its restoration by Michelangelo. The work began in 1536 and lasted more than a century. The artist did not have time to put all his ideas into practice, his pupils tried to realise his ideas.
The shape of the square
Michelangelo approached the project with enthusiasm, creating a new form of Roman architecture. For the first time, the statue became the centrepiece and link of an architectural composition. In detail, the elaborate geometry and stylistics are still astonishing to this day. The centrepiece of the trapezoidal square is the Palace of the Senators. On two sides of the square are the Conservative Palace and Palazzo Nuovo. In the centre of the square is a bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius. It, by the way, surprisingly survived during the struggle with paganism. Christians mistook it for a picture of Emperor Constantine.
According to Michelangelo's idea, the square was decorated with various sculptures - allegories to events related to the history of Rome. The statues of Dioscurus - Castor and Pollux, installed on the Cordonata staircase leading to the square, were found during excavations in Pompeii. To the left of the Palace of the Senators is a sculpture of the famous Capitoline She-wolf. It is attributed to 500 BC, although recent research has established that it was created in the Middle Ages. This did not embarrass the Romans, the plaque was not remodelled.
Palace of the Senators
The palace was built on the ruins of the Roman Tabularium, the city's archive, dating back to the 1st century BC. During construction it was possible to preserve part of the building and two side columns. The modern palace building was erected for 64 years in the second half of the 16th century. In the niches along the staircase leading to the entrance, there are antique sculptures representing the Nile and the Tiber. In front of the palace there is a fountain with a statue of Minerva. Currently, the palace houses the mayor's office. Only the underground corridors of the Tabularia, the Lapidarium and the museum, where steles describing the history of Rome are on display, are accessible to the public.
Palazzo Conservatorio and Palazzo Nuovo
The Palazzo Conservatori is built on the site of an ancient court session, hence the name (in Latin, judges are conservatori). Palazzo Nuovo, almost completely repeating the Palazzo Conservatori, was built later and was originally planned as a museum. The architecture of the palaces showed another innovation of Michelangelo - a colossal order with columns stretched on two floors. Today there is a museum exhibition in the buildings of the palaces (all three) where you can see:
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a huge statue of the Capitoline She-wolf, displayed in a separate hall;
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collections of ancient coins and jewellery;
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a pinacoteca with a collection of Italian, Spanish and Flemish artists;
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Renaissance furniture;
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sculptures, statues, and bas-reliefs from various eras.
Basilica of Santa Maria in Araceli
Photo: Peter1936F. Source: wikipedia
The Basilica of Santa Maria in Araceli is the oldest structure on Capitoline Hill. The church was built to replace the destroyed temple of Juno and several Roman legends are associated with it. The most famous one is about the geese that lived in the temple and raised a ruckus when the Gauls approached. After such a feat on the maintenance of geese allocated a separate article in the budget of the city and annually carried festively dressed goose in a palanquin around the forum.
The altar installed in the temple, according to legend, is considered to be the oldest Christian altar in the world. It appeared even earlier than Christianity. Yes, with the Romans, anything is possible. It is said that Augustus Octavian, at the height of his power, turned to the fortune-teller Sibylla in the Temple of Juno with the question: "Will there be anyone in this world more powerful than me?" The Sibyl told him about Mary and the baby she had seen in a dream. And Octavian ordered an altar to be erected to the future god.
To the Basilica of the Virgin Mary leads a staircase of 124 steps, it is, incidentally, built of stones taken from the Colosseum. Unassuming from the look of the church strikes with the opulence of the interior decoration. Here you can spend more than an hour looking at the details. Among the main attractions:
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the miracle-working icon of the Virgin Mary, which once saved Rome from the imminent plague;
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Pinturicchio's 15th-century frescoes in the Chapel of Bernardine of Siena;
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relics of St Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine the Great;
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carved in the 15th century and adorned with gold and diamonds, the sculpture of Santo Bambino - the Holy Child.
To miss the Capitoline Hill while in Rome is a crime against history and art. For a thorough introduction, it's worth setting aside a full day to visit the Capitol Square. Ideally, in the company of an experienced guide. Admire the views, soak up the atmosphere, consider the details, visit all the museums and try to unravel Michelangelo's allegories.
