Sunday, December 17, 2017

WEDEKIND PALACE

PALAZZO WEDEKIND
1838 Pietro Camporese the Younger (1792/1873) as the Post Office building for Gregory XVI Cappellari (1831/46)
Camporese built it after having demolished a building of 1659 belonging to the Ludovisi family, in turn, built on medieval houses
It was renovated in 1879 by G.B. Giovenale (1849/1934) when it was purchased by the banker Wedekind
It is now the HEADQUARTERS OF THE NEWSPAPER IL TEMPO
This was the approximate area where once stood the TEMPLE OF MARCUS AURELIUS of which no trace remains
Twelve pillars in the PORTICO of which “Eleven ancient columns” in Carrara marble, found in 1817 in the ruins of the city of Veii
The four columns on each side of the main entrance are also ancient and were originally on the sides of the door of the Basilica of St. Paul destroyed by fire in 1823
“In 1880, under the portico was opened the Sommariva Cafè, called 'alle colonne' (at the columns), a meeting place for Romans night owls. The so called Kellerine used to serve here, in imitation of the Viennese Beer Houses, waitresses in Bavarian costume which were a first for Rome. The one of them who was the most successful was a French girl named Hannah. Curious people that did not want to spend for drinks were content to crowd in front of the entrance for the busty girls dressed in black, with cuffs and white apron, moving between the tables smiling, collecting substantial tips” (Cinzia Dal Maso - specchioromano.it)

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