Rome's Romantic Capitoline Museum

A Museum; Romantic?  This museum in the heart of Rome is the oldest in Europe, full of Rome's best-loved treasures.  Located in a palace on Rome's most beautiful piazza; is there a dress code for this place?

Starting my day meeting my friend Sara at Cafe Barnum, her local Roman "hangout."  There is something about drinking Cafe Barnum's cappuccinos in the morning that makes me think, "yes, now I am in Rome!"  I needed to fortify myself for the long day of museum-going on this cold and rainy December day.  In fact, thunder and lightning this morning was threatening the walk to Capitoline Hill.  When there was a break in the rain, I grabbed my umbrella and made a dash for the museum a mere kilometre away.

Cordonata Staircase

The Capitoline Museum sits just behind the giant Victor Emmanuel Monument (I call it the white typewriter).  Capitoline Hill is the tallest & smallest of the 7 hills of Rome, but the city grew up around it. It is also the most important because, in ancient times, it housed the Capitolium, which was the Temple of Jupiter.  The central part of the Capitoline Museum, the Palazzo dei Conservatori, sits upon the ancient Temple.  The Capitoline Museum is actually a group of 2 parallel palaces connected by an underground walkway; it is so vast I would recommend allowing at least 4 hours to see it all.  Don't worry, there is a cafe on-site if you need a little pick me up!  The palace in the centre of the piazza with the double staircase is the Palazzo Cenetorio and is Rome's, City Hall.

The historical part of the museum that is free is the Piazza del Campidoglio itself.  I would recommend reaching the Capitoline Museum by the grand staircase accessible off of Via Teatro Marcello (on the right side of the typewriter when you face it). You may not know it, but this piazza is one of Michelangelo's masterpieces; he was not only a sculptor and painter but a brilliant architect as well. He designed this ramped staircase called the Cordonata to deliver you like you were riding up an escalator to the harmonious Piazza del Campidoglio.   Michelangelo designed the piazza in 1536, and it was a massive undertaking that took centuries to complete; there is an excellent display of the process in the museum.  Michelangelo also had the statue of Marcus Aurelius brought over from San Giovanni in Lateran and placed in the centre of the piazza as a focal point.  The original figure is in the new wing of the museum.  This piazza is even more beautiful at night, nearly deserted and all lit up! 😍

Piazza Campidoglio

The museum was going to be busy because of rainy weather.  We had not bought tickets online ahead of time, so that meant we had to stand outside in the long line to get in.  The entry fee is €7.80 for both palaces, and I rented an iPad mini self-guided tour for €6 (totally worth it).  TIP #1: Bring a BIG old Mom purse to stow your hats, gloves, collapsible umbrellas, etc.; otherwise, the museum will make you check in all backpacks and large umbrellas.  The service is free, but if the lockers in the locker room are full or the keys don't work, it is a HUGE waste of your time!  You are permitted to take photographs of most items in the museum as long as you don't use a flash.  There are a few rooms where photography is forbidden, but there will be signs (and museum guards) to remind you of this.  TIP #2: To purchase tickets online, go HERE.  For any reduced ticket (youth, senior, etc.) you must buy the tickets in person at the museum.

Once inside the museum, you are in the Palazzo Conservatori wing.  This 3-storey grand Palazza is out of this world beautiful, and I found myself taking as many pictures of the decor as I did the ancient art!  Don't miss the open-air courtyard with pieces of the famous statue of Nero called the "Colossus" that stood in front of a certain renowned Colosseum in Rome.

Now, the lightning and thunder outside shook the museum as the rain pelted against the antique windows, and it just heightened the experience!  Every room of the palace houses famous statues from Roman history, and they are out in the open right in front of you!

She-Wolf of Rome

I'm talking about The Boy with Thorn, Bernini's Medusa, the bust of that douchebag Commodus as the God Hercules ....right in front of you!  Of course, I went bananas when I saw my personal favourite, the symbol of Rome itself; The Capitoline Wolf.   Really, I know there was a let down in 2007 when scientists radiocarbon-dated her and found out she was not the same statue that was sitting in the forum since 65 B.C.E (this was made between the 11th & 12th century), but she is still stunning!  There are SO MANY gorgeous pieces in this museum, my post would be 220 pages long, and you would be fast asleep...but maybe a few more to share with you :)

All Hail Marky Marcus

You follow the museum along to the other side to the Palazzo Nuovo and the statue gallery there is INSANE!  The Capitoline Venus, Cupid & Psyche, Leda and the Swan, The Dying Gaul and so many more. All just so mind-blowing!  How could so much beauty be in one place?  Then in the new wing, you come upon a modern section of the museum with the original bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius riding his horse.  Apparently, the only reason the figure is believed to survive today is that people thought this was a statue of the Christian Emperor Constantine.  If the people had known it was a statue of a Pagan ruler, the bronze would have been melted down to become a set of church doors.  Romans were big believers of the three R's; Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

Lion Attacking A Horse

The piece that really struck a chord with me was "Lion Attacking A Horse."  This visceral statue was made around 300 B.C.E from Carrera marble and was found at the bottom of a stream in Capitoline Hill and was probably featured in the Circus Maximus.  I could feel the horses panic and almost hear it's flesh tearing as the lion sinks in its claws.  I didn't want to look at it, yet I could not take my eyes away!
The statue was fragmented when it was pulled from the muck; only the horse's torso remained, and the lion's back legs were missing.  The sculpture sat in front of the Palazzo Senetario from the 1300s on, as a symbol of justice (and capital punishment) for Rome.  In fact, The Lion was the symbol of Rome before the She-Wolf.  When Michelangelo worked in Piazza Campidoglio, he used to pass the Lion Attacking A Horse and admire the sculpture calling it "most marvellous."  In 1594 Ruggero Bascapè (a former student of Michelangelo's) restored the statue to include all the missing pieces.  The statue was completely restored in 2012 and given a place of honour in the new wing of the museum next to Marcus Aurelius.

Taking It All In

There are underground tunnels and galleries under the piazza that connect the museum buildings.  The Tabularium is not to be missed, not because of what is in it, but because of its location.  The Tabularium is where ancient Rome kept all its records and is why we know so much about our history today.  Walk past all the displays of antique pieces from the Temple of Jupiter (which is above you) and walk out to the arched corridor.  You are now standing in a building completed in 78 B.C.E!  Built on top of the remains of the Temple of the ancient Sabine God Vejovis, who was adopted by the Romans when they conquered this hill.  Many Roman Emperors probably stood right here, admiring the same view.  Damn!
TIP #3: THE BEST VIEW OF THE ROMAN FORUM IS FROM THIS VANTAGE POINT (only accessible from the museum)
The museum Cafe also has a nice view of the city, but I was exhausted with jetlag sneaking up on me and in need of a nap.   I literally ran home, getting drenched in the storm, falling to sleep with the sound of the rain pelting against the windows.

Perfectly.
Content.
Rome.

View From The Tabularium

 

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Watch this great video of the restoration work the museum did on Lion Attacking A Horse: