TOWER OF THE MILITIA

TORRE DELLE MILIZIE
Largo Magnanapoli

It was built at the beginning of the thirteenth century by Marchionne Aretino for Innocent III of the Conti from Segni (1198/1216)

It was originally in the area of the oratory of ORATORIO DEI Ss. CIRO E GIOVANNI (Sts. Cyrus and John) later known as S. ABBACIRO erected before the year 680

It was bought by Boniface VIII Caetani (1294/1303) who fortified it against the Colonna family
It was ruined by the earthquake of 1348 which caused the slope and the loss of the upper floor
In the sixteenth century it belonged again to the Conti family

From 1619 it belonged to the nuns of S. Caterina a Magnanapoli
Restoration in 1914 by Antonio Muñoz (1884/1960)
It was freed from the surrounding buildings only in 1924

It is 51.10 meters (167.6 feet) high and it is one of the most important civic buildings in medieval Rome

Since 1927 it is part of the complex of the Markets of Trajan

The origin of its name is a mystery
It maybe corresponds to the AUGURACULUM, the area for taking the auspices in relation to meetings that were held in the underlying Saepta Iulia

TOWER OF THE CONTI FAMILY

TORRE DEI CONTI
Via di Tor de' Conti/Largo Corrado Ricci

1203 Marchionne Aretino, known as the “Prince of the military architects” for Innocent III of the Conti from Segni (1198/1216)
It was also known as Torre Maggiore (Major Tower) because of its size: the original height had to be about 50-60 m (165-200 feet), whereas the current hight is 29 m (95 feet)

In 1348 the tower became uninhabitable for an earthquake and it was abandoned until 1620, when it was rebuilt
Other earthquakes followed in 1630 and in 1644

Subsequent restructuring occurred at the end of 1600s under Alexander VIII Ottoboni (1689/91), with the construction of the two reinforcement buttresses

Currently it houses offices of associations and of the local Roman government
It was built on one of the corners of the ancient TEMPLE OF PEACE of the years 71/75 built for Vespasian (69/79)

GRILLO NICOLIS DE ROBILANT PALACE

PALAZZO DEL GRILLO NICOLIS DE ROBILANT

Piazza del Grillo 5

1675 for the marquis Cosmo del Grillo

It incorporated the TORRE MILIZIOLA (Small Militia Tower) of 1223 maybe by Marchionne Aretino. The tower is so called to distinguish it from the nearby larger Torre delle Milizie (Militia Tower)

In the nineteenth century it became the property of the Nicolis de Robilant family that raised the palace by adding the roof garden

It hosted the studio of the Sicilian painter Renato Guttuso (1911/87) who died here and it was the home of the soprano Anna Moffo

In the GARDEN there are five fountains: Vessel, Crouching Figures, Neptune and two fountains with Mascheroni (big masks)

HOSPITAL HOLY SPIRIT IN SAXIA

OSPEDALE S. SPIRITO IN SASSIA

Lungotevere in Sassia 1

Schola Saxonum built for Ina king of the Saxons in 727 to assist his compatriots the English pilgrims of Wessex, the south-west of England

Though not yet then a hospital in the modern sense, it is considered the first hospital in Europe

In 1050 resided here as an illustrious pilgrim King Macbeth of Scotland, later immortalized by Shakespeare's play

After the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and the Norman occupation of England pilgrims dwindled drastically and the structure declined

Rebuilt in 1198 maybe, according to Vasari, by Marchionne Aretino at the behest of Innocent III of the Counts of Segni (1198/1216) and formalized in a Papal Bull in 1204

It was given to Guy of Montpellier, who had established the HOSPITALLER ORDER OF THE HOLY GHOST for the care of abandoned children, orphans and illegitimate

Rebuilt after being destroyed by fire and extended in the years 1473/78 for the Jubilee of 1475 maybe by Baccio Pontelli (about 1450/92) for Sixtus IV Della Rovere (1471/84) according to Giorgio Vasari

Vasari, however, seems to be contradicted by evidence documenting the presence of Baccio Pontelli in Rome shortly in 1477 and longer only after 1482

Expanded in the years 1665/67 with the SALA ALESSANDRINA (Alexandrine Hall) for Alexander VII Chigi (1655/67) parallel to the Sistine Ward and now used for conferences

The hospital enjoyed the proceeds of the Banco di S. Spirito (Bank of the Holy Spirit) founded in 1605 by Pope Paul V Borghese

ENTRANCE ARCH

1664 by Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598/1680) that contains the portal of the end of 1400s maybe by Bregno Andrea (1418/1503)

To the left ARCH OF THE EXPOSED with spinning wheel where the unwanted children were left

From that moment they became children of the institute and were registered as matris ignotae. The contraction m. ignota generated the Italian word mignotta (bitch), certainly not a very nice way to describe a woman

It is believed that this custom began here in 1198 even if there is evidence only since the sixteenth century. In 1866 there were 1179 wheels all over Italy and they were abolished only after 1870

FAÇADE FACING THE RIVER rebuilt in the years 1926/28 by Luigi Lepri

To build the levees the 1744 extension of Ferdinando Fuga (1699/1782) was destroyed. Only the PORTAL maybe by Andrea Bregno and few items are original

BUILDING ON LUNGOTEVERE IN SASSIA 1927/33

VESTIBULE

On the altar of S. Job “Canopy” about 1546 maybe by Andrea Palladio (1508/80), altarpiece by Carlo Maratta (1625/1713)

SISTINE WARD

1473/78 maybe by Baccio Pontelli 120 m long (400 feet) and the two wings BAGLIVI HALL on the left and LANCISI HALL on the right

1,000 m² (10,800 square feet) of frescoes “Stories of Sixtus IV” of the fifteenth century by various artists of the Umbrian school