SALLUST OBELISK

OBELISCO SALLUSTIANO

Piazza Trinità dei Monti

It is an ancient Roman obelisk made in imitation of the Egyptian ones, dating back to the imperial period, maybe to the time of Aurelian (270/275), with hieroglyphics, which the Romans imitated from those of the Flaminium Obelisk

It comes from the Horti Sallustiani (Gardens of Sallust) where perhaps used to adorn the central section of a private circus (hippodrome), the Porticus Miliarensis

The knowledge of the Egyptian language was obviously rough at the time, as some hieroglyphs are engraved upside down

It was erected here in 1789 by Giovanni Antinori (1734/92) for Pius VI Braschi (1775/99)

The original base of the obelisk is in the garden of the Capitoline Hill to the left of the Senatorial Palace where it was arbitrarily transformed into an “Altar of the dead fascist” during the fascist period

HOTEL HASSLER - VILLA MEDICI

HOTEL HASSLER - VILLA MEDICI

Piazza Trinità dei Monti 6

1892/93 remodeling of preexisting buildings for the Swiss Albert Hassler

It was a second category hotel until the restructuring of 1939 for the new owner, the Swiss Oscar Wirth, father of the present owner Roberto Wirth

Since 1944 the U.S. Air Transport Command had its headquarters here for three years

It was reopened in 1947. Since then it has assumed an elitist prestige and it is considered one of the most prestigious hotels in the world

86 rooms, 10 suites and 3 presidential suites

Among the distinguished guests: the Presidents Truman, Kennedy, Peron and Giscard d'Estaing, the monarchs of Sweden and Denmark, Charlie Chaplin, Marlene Dietrich, George Harrison and Placido Domingo

GARDENS OF LUCULLUS

HORTI LUCULLIANI

Piazza Trinità dei Monti

Villa built by Lucullus soon after the triumph over Mithridates celebrated in 63 BC

It was one of the largest villas in Rome, corresponding to the current church of Trinità dei Monti and the Spanish Steps on the Pincian Hill

Under the reign of Claudius (41/54) it became property of Valerius Asiaticus and in 46 BC it became imperial property when he was forced to commit suicide by Messalina, the unfaithful wife of Claudius

The Villa continued to be owned by Emperors at least until the time of Trajan (98/117) who maybe preferred the gardens of Sallust, located on the eastern part of the Pincian Hill

In the third century it was occupied by the noble family of the Acili, who in the fourth century gave it to the Pinci, from whom the present name of the hill came. Although they gave the name of the hill, little is known of this family

It was a complex similar to the Temple of Fortuna at Palestrina. At the top there was a round building, maybe a Temple of Fortuna

In the cellars of the convent of the Sacred Heart, there are SUBSTRUCTURES and under Palazzo Zuccari there is a large wall with semicircular niches, certainly a NYMPHEUM (fountain)