PALAZZO DEL BANCO DI S.
SPIRITO
1521/25 Antonio Cordini aka Antonio
da Sangallo the Younger (1483/1546)
Formerly
known as Palazzo della Zecca (Palace of the Mint)
Statues on
the façade “Charity” and “Abundance”
“Accentuated
interests in spatial urban function with the assertion of a vigorous and
non-inert 'classical' style inspired by Bramante and Raphael appear in the
façade of the Mint, certainly conceived for viewers coming from Ponte S.
Angelo. (...) Cordini exhibits a controlled search of novelty and monumental
expression animated by the concavity of the front and showing proportional
contrasts in the definition of linguistic elements and decorations. (...)
Despite some uncertainties, a finally reached maturity, in the full domain of
his personal language, characterizes this work generally considered by the
scholars as one of the highest expressions of Cordini's activity” (Arnaldo
Bruschi - Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani Treccani)
The mint
remained here until 1541 and the building was thereafter known as Zecca
vecchia (Old Mint)
In 1667 it
became the headquarters of the BANCO DI SANTO SPIRITO (Bank of the Holy Spirit)
changing name with internal adjustments by Giovanni
Tommaso Ripoli for the new function
The Banco
di Santo Spirito was founded in 1605 by Paul V Borghese (1605/21): it offered
rudimentary banking services but it gained a huge success having as guarantee
the funds of the nearby Ospedale S. Spirito (Hospital of the Holy
Spirit)
It is
still a bank today with a branch of Unicredit which incorporated the Banco di
S. Spirito
