Holidays in Rome: the Rione Parione.
Your holiday in Rome in one of Palazzo Olivia’s apartments will lead you to discover an important area of the city: the Rione Parione. It is symbolised by a winged horse and is one of the most densely populated and richest areas in Rome. It was once an antechamber of the Roman court – a world of palaces, hotels, books, parties and courtesans.
In ancient times, the Codeta Minor area was cleared and enlarged by Julius Caesar; then the Emperor Domitian built here a stadium, still recognizable in Piazza Navona perimeter. A large ruin once stood near the stadium. The rione got his name from that ruin: Parione comes from the Latin word "paries" (wall).
Up until the 15th century, the area kept the aspect of a typical medieval village. Campo de' Fiori was a cluster of ruins, utilized only for animal farming. Then Pope Sisto IV decided to pave the area surrounding the Pantheon, to make it the new city's Forum, a splendid urban centre crossed by the Via Florida. Many Cardinals established here, and during the Renaissance palaces, hotels, typographies and bookshops were built in the rione, making it the gathering point of Roman intellectual bourgeoisie.
The Via Major or Papalis (from Palazzo Orsini to Palazzo Nola), the Vicus Novus in Campo Florae (Via de Baullari), the Platea Parionis (Piazza di Pasquino) and the Via Parionis (Via del Governo Vecchio) were the background to the two famous piazzas, Campo dei Fiori and Piazza Navona. Palaces with beautiful colonnades, majestic atriums, imposing towers, sophisticated loggias, paintings, clock towers.
Bramante's building (the future Palazzo della Cancelleria) reigned since 1486, together with the Piccola Farnesina, built after Raphael's project. Cardinal Condulmieri's Palazzo, house of ambassadors and princes, stood out in Campo de Fiori. The Platea Agonis (Piazza Navona) was dominated by Palazzo Orsini, later demolished to build Palazzo Braschi. The ancient Via Parionis (Via del Governo Vecchio) housed Cardinal Nardini's Palazzo, then sold to the Vatican to make it the seat of the papal government.
Parione was the rione of ambassadors and scoundrels, of courtesans and Jewish merchants, whose flourishing business attracted foreign tradesmen. For example, Via del Pellegrino, named Jeweller Street in the 17th century, was famous for goldsmiths and gunsmiths. Pope Innocent X moved Piazza Navona market to Campo de Fiori, where it still is. In the 19th century Piazza Navona housed the puppet theater, shows and popular games. Since 1829 it was also a famous musical centre, as Palazzo Lancellotti was the seat of the celebrated Filarmonica Romana, then renamed as Accademia di Santa Cecilia.
Current exhibitions
The "Rome’s Museums" site lists all the exhibitions and cultural events currently on in Rome. Information, times and maps of museums in Rome hosting the exhibitions.
Rome Auditorium: music, concerts and events
The Auditorium Parco della Musica has symphony orchestra concerts and chamber music, cinema openings, plays, art exhibitions and literary performances.
