Piazza Montecitorio - Piazzas of Italy by Ultimate Italy

Piazza Montecitorio

This piazza was designed to provide access to the Palazzo Montecitorio from which it derives its name. The best way to enter this piazza is from the south. This is where you can get the best view of the obelisk and the central section of the palazzo’s façade.

The obelisk was originally constructed for Pharaoh Psammeticus II. It was set up in Heliopolis in the sixth century B.C. Emperor Augustus had it shipped to Italy in the tenth century B.C. to celebrate his victory over Cleopatra. It was set up in the Campus Martius. When he brought it to Rome it created a great stir that it is said that the ship, which transported the obelisk, was also kept on public display. It was set up as a gnomon (shadow caster) for an enormous sundial he had built a few hundred metres north of the present location of the obelisk. Legend says that it fell during a fire and was buried there until it was rediscovered in 1748 under a building in Piazza Parlemento. In 1792 it was reconstructed using granite taken from the column of Antonius. Today it stands almost 22 metres high or should one say 29 metres including the base and the globe surmounting it.

Bernini designed Palazzo Montecitorio in 1655 at the request of Nicolo Ludovisi who wanted to build a grand palace for his family. However work stopped due to uncertain finances of the family. In 1664 when Ludovisi died it was still incomplete. Carlo Fontana took on the project of completing the palazzo by 1697at the request of Pope Innocent XII. Fontana followed the original designs of Bernini quite closely and finished constructing the palazzo in 1697. The only part he considerably altered was the central section of the façade. He maintained Bernini’s overall conception including the two receding wings, which helped to make the façade seem less monolithic and more stimulating to the eye. The building was then used for papal matters and was known as Curia Innocentiana. In 1870 it became the home of the new Italian Parliament.

Today Piazza Montecitorio is mainly known as the site of the House of Parliament and is a busy piazza.