| Palazzo Madama | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Palazzo Madama, seat of theItalian Senate | |
 Click on the map for a fullscreen view | |
| General information | |
| Town or city | Rome |
| Country | Italy |
| Coordinates | 41°53′57″N12°28′27″E / 41.8992°N 12.4743°E /41.8992; 12.4743 |
| Construction started | Late 15th century |
| Completed | 1505 |
| Client | Medici Family |
Palazzo Madama (Italian pronunciation:[paˈlattsomaˈdaːma]) inRome is the seat of theSenate of the Italian Republic, the upper house of theItalian Parliament.[1]
It was built atop the ruins of the ancientbaths of Nero, next toPiazza Navona. The terrain had been acquired in theMiddle Ages by the monks of theAbbey of Farfa, who later ceded it toFrance.
The new building was begun at the end of the 15th century and completed in 1505, for theMedici family. It housed two Medici cardinals and cousins, Giovanni and Giulio, who both later became popes asLeo X andClement VII, respectively.Catherine de' Medici, Clement VII's niece, also lived here before she was married to Henry, son of KingFrancis I of France in 1533.Cardinal Francesco Maria Del Monte, patron of the artistCaravaggio, lived there until his death in 1627.
The palace takes its name from MadamaMargherita of Austria, illegitimate daughter of EmperorCharles V, who married another illegitimate son,Alessandro de' Medici and, after his death,Ottavio Farnese. Thus part of the art collection of the Florentine Medici family was inherited by the Farnese family.
The current façade was built in the mid-1650s by bothCigoli andPaolo Maruccelli. The latter added the ornatecornice and whimsical decorativeurns on the roof.
After the extinction of the Mediciin 1743, the palace was handed over to theHouse of Lorraine and, later, toPope Benedict XIV, who made it the seat of thePapal Government. In 1849,Pius IX moved here the Ministries of Finances and of the Public Debt, as well as the Papal Post Offices. In 1871, after the conquest of Rome by the newly formedKingdom of Italy, the palazzo became the seat of theSenate of the Kingdom of Italy.
Some other Italian institutional buildings:
Media related toPalazzo Madama (Rome) at Wikimedia Commons
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| Preceded by Lateran Palace | Landmarks of Rome Palazzo Madama, Rome | Succeeded by Palazzo Malta |
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