The construction of the original building was carried out in the years 1686/89 by Carlo Fontana (1634/1714) and maybe Mattia De Rossi (1637/95) as a Conservatorio per ragazzi (Orphanage for boys) at the behest of Monsignor Tommaso Odescalchi. It was located right opposite Porta Portese (Portese Gate)
Later it was enlarged again by Carlo Fontana with several sections assembled together ending up being the huge complex visible now:
1693/1701 BUILDING FOR WOOL WEAVING
1701/04 MODEL PRISON FOR BOYS
1706/09 BARRACKS FOR CUSTOM POLICE
1708/13 HOSPICE FOR THE ELDERLY
1710/14 BULDING FOR TAPESTRIES WEAVING and CHIESETTA DELLA MADONNA DEL BUON VIAGGIO (Small Church of the Virgin Mary for the good journey) so called because before leaving Rome from Porta Portese one could stop and say a prayer
1710/15 CHIESA DI S. MICHELE (St. Michael Church) left unfinished and then completed in the years 1831/35 by Luigi Poletti
In the years 1714/15 EXTRA FLOORS were added to the façade facing the river, completed only after Carlo Fontana's death
In 1719 Nicola Michetti (about 1675/1758) took over the direction of the works and designed in the years 1719/29 the CONSERVATORIO DELLE ZITELLE (Hostel for widowers) completed in the eastern part in the years 1790/97 by Nicolò Forti
1734/35 FEMALE PRISON by Ferdinando Fuga (1699/1782) for Clement XII Corsini (1730/40) later completed by Nicolò Forti
In 1871 the Istituto Romano S. Michele (Roman Institute St. Michael) was founded to be administrated by the local Rome government. The old prison for underage children and the female prison were transformed into a new prison for underage children
In 1938 the guest of the hospice were transferred to Tor Marancia in the south-east outskirts of Rome. In the following thirty years the complex was not well maintained, part of it was used as a high school and during and after World War II it was occupied by soldiers and refugees and devastated to the point that many floors collapsed
Only in 1969 the Italian government fully acquired it and assigned the restored building to the Ministry of National Heritage even if the prison for underage children kept functioning until 1972
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