Palazzo Massimo alle Colonne

Palazzo Massimo alle Colonne

Palazzo Massimo alle Colonne is a Renaissance building in Rome, Italy, designed by the renowned Italian architect and painter Baldassarre Peruzzi and constructed between 1532 and 1536. The site originally had three adjacent buildings belonging to the Massimo family, which were destroyed in a fire during the Sack of Rome (1527). It faces the bustling Via Vittorio Emanuele II, with the Basilica di Sant'Andrea della Valle diagonally opposite to the southeast.

The most distinctive feature of the palace entrance is its portico with six Doric columns. It has two courtyards, the first of which also features a Doric colonnade — the source of the palace’s name. Its façade has an elegant curved design and stands on the site of the ancient Odeon of Domitian. The interior ceilings and porticos are intricately decorated with garlands and corniced vaults. The ceiling of the entrance hall features frescoes by the Italian Mannerist painter and sculptor Daniele da Volterra, primarily depicting the rise and prosperity of the Massimo family. The small chapel on the second floor was once the room of 14-year-old Paolo Massimo. On March 16 each year, the interior of the palace is open to the public, allowing many visitors to admire its splendid beauty.

Palazzo Massimo alle Colonne

Why you should go: One of Rome’s most striking Renaissance buildings

Continent: Europe【Europe】

Country/Region: Italy[Italy]

Province/State: Lazio Region [Lazio Region]

City: Rome [Rome]