SCAPUCCI PALACE

PALAZZO SCAPUCCI

Via dei Portoghesi 18

Built at the beginning of 1500s for Pietro Griffo Bishop of Forlì

It was restored in 1588 by Giovanni Fontana (1540/1614), brother of Domenico Fontana, for Gaspare Scapucci

During the restoration the TOWER OF THE MONKEY of 1014 was included in the building

It was linked to a legend that became famous when told in 1860 by the American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne in his novel The Marble Faun:

Legend has it that in the palace lived a monkey who, one day, kidnapped the baby of his master in swaddling clothes, and took him to the top of the tower, making him stick out from the battlements, just for fun, at the risk of making him fall

The parents and the people who were there implored the help of Our Lady who rescued the baby: so the ape, at a call of the child's father, came back down the tower and into the house, carrying the baby safe and sound

From that day the father of the child wanted that a lamp would burn before a statue of the Virgin that he placed on top of the building, as a thanksgiving for the grace received

PALACE OF THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL

PALAZZO DELL'AVVOCATURA GENERALE DELLO STATO

Via dei Portoghesi 12

It was originally the Convent of the Augustinians, next to the Church of St. Augustine, built at the end of 1400s for Cardinal Guillaume d'Estouteville

It was enlarged in 1620 by Felice Antonio Casoni (1559/1634) along Via della Scrofa, in 1652 by Domenico Castelli (1582/1657) along Via S. Agostino and in 1673 by G.B. Contini (1641/1723) along Via dei Pianellari

In the years 1746/51 it was restructured by Luigi Vanvitelli (1700/73) who, being engaged in the construction of the humongous Palace of Caserta, was helped by his assistant Antonio Rinaldi (1710/94) who continued the work until 1952 when he went to S. Petersburg in Russia to design the immense Marble Palace

The restructuring continued in the years 1752/71, directed by Carlo Murena (1713/64) another assistant of Vanvitelli

“Despite the large size the result is very light and the building, with simple elegance and without excessive monumentality fits discreetly and harmoniously into the surrounding urban context” (Valeria Annecchino)

COURTYARD

Elliptical fountain also by Luigi Vanvitelli

Scenic ATRIUM at No. 82 of Via della Scrofa maybe by Filippo Juvarra (1678/1736)

LANDING

“Marble statue of Benedict XIV Lambertini (1740/58)” 1750 by G.B. Maini (1690/1752)

VANVITELLI ROOM

Used for the meetings of the State Attorney General

Fresco “Multiplication of the loaves and fishes” by Gregorio Guglielmi (1714/73)

“His paintings are pervaded by the absence of an obvious and repetitive structure, giving importance to a powerful action on the stage represented varied and multifaceted, causing the viewer to look joyfully for 'discovery' and 'surprise'. The Curious and the Interesting are the principles that distinguish his paintings from the redundant characteristic of much art of the ephemeral eighteenth century” (Claudio Strinati)