The Quirinale Palace and square

Under the watchful eye of the imposing Corazzieri stands, on the highest of the seven hills of Rome, the Palazzo del Quirinale which, since 1946, has been the symbolic place of the Repubblica italiana and the official seat of the Presidente della Repubblica.

The Quirinale has been, for over three centuries, the summer residence of the popes and the home of the kings of Italy.

Due to its elevated position and particular healthiness, the place where the Palace rises has been home to residential areas and important public and religious buildings since antiquity, including the Temple of Serapis built by Caracalla in 217 AD, from which originates the Dioscuri, the sculptural group that adorns the square. Castor and Pollux, the divine twins, grab the reins of their clodding horses.

With its 110,500 square meters, the Quirinale is the sixth largest palace in the world, 20 times larger than the White House.

Thanks to the beauty of its architecture by Domenico Fontana, Carlo Maderno and Gian Lorenzo Bernini who created here the suggestive Loggia delle Benedizioni, Quirinale is a tourist attraction endowed with a unique heritage of art, history and culture.

Its art collections are celebrated throughout the world and are made up of ancient and modern statues and paintings, priceless tapestries, royal carriages of fine Italian manufacture, precious clocks, whose oldest examples date back to the time of Louis XIV, as well as the large porcelain collection of about 38,000 pieces, which can be considered among the most prestigious worldwide. Since 2019, contemporary art has also made its official entry into the Palazzo with “Quirinale Contemporaneo”, a “project in progress” included in the visit itinerary and aimed at opening the Quirinale’s doors to the future while respecting the past and traditions. Paintings, sculptures and installations signed by great artists of the 20th century, alongside objects conceived by Italian designers and produced by Italian companies, have thus found a stable place in the courtyards, halls and gardens of the Palazzo, in the Castelporziano estate and in Villa Rosebery. With the three editions of the project, the collection has come to count 102 works of art and 101 design objects. Italian artists on display include, for example, Giorgio de Chirico, Lucio Fontana, Arnaldo Pomodoro, Giacomo Manzù, Afro, Alberto Burri, Carla Accardi and Giosetta Fioroni, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Pino Pascali and Mimmo Rotella. As regards design objects, one of the most appreciated Italian excellences in the world, the project includes works by Gio Ponti, Piero Fornasetti, Franco Albini, Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Vico Magistretti, Carlo Mollino, Gae Aulenti, Gaetano Pesce, Alessandro Mendini , Cini Boeri, Paola Navone and many others.

Not be missed, the extraordinary gardens of about 4 hectares dating back to the 16th century that invite the visitor to stroll among their geometric flowerbeds, the rich collection of tree species, the high hedges and even a thick grove with wide avenues and enchanting pergolas. In one of the panoramic points of the park is the elegant Coffee House, designed by the architect Ferdinando Fuga in the 18th century, from whose terrace it is possible to admire the 16th century Fontana dell'Organo, whose mechanism, although restored, is still working.

One of the most awaited moments by tourists and citizens is the changing of the guard performed, every Sunday, by the Corazzieri, one of the most prestigious and spectacular armed escorts in the world, accompanied by the Guardia di Finanza Band.

Photo credits: Presidenza della Repubblica Italiana