| Palazzo della Consulta | |
|---|---|
 Seat of the Italian Constitutional Court | |
 Click on the map for a fullscreen view | |
| General information | |
| Location | Rome, Italy |
| Coordinates | 41°53′56″N12°29′14″E / 41.8990°N 12.4873°E /41.8990; 12.4873 |
| Construction started | 1732 |
| Completed | 1737 |
| Client | Pope Clement XII |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Ferdinando Fuga |
ThePalazzo della Consulta (built 1732–1737) is a lateBaroque palace in centralRome, Italy; since 1955, it houses theConstitutional Court of the Italian Republic. It sits across thePiazza del Quirinale from the official residence of the President of the Italian Republic, theQuirinal Palace.
Prior to the 17th century, a palace had been erected for theCardinal Ferrero during the reign ofPope Sixtus V. ThePope Clement XII (Corsini) commissioned the present palace fromFerdinando Fuga, and it was completed in 1737 to house the secretariat of theSacra Congregazione della Consulta (which served as the main council of state of the Papal states and tribunal) as well as theSegnatura dei Brevi, as well as two corps ofPapal Guard units. From 1798 to 1814, the palace was used as the Prefecture of Rome. In 1849, during theRoman Republic, it was the home of the ruling Triumvirate. After the annexation of thePapal States to theKingdom of Italy, from 1871 to 1874, PrinceUmberto I and his wifeMargherita of Savoy lived here. From 1874 to 1922, it housed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and from 1924 to 1953 it housed the Ministry of Colonies. In 1955, it became the home of theConstitutional Court of Italy.
Fuga ordered the two-storey facade with apiano nobile whose windows have low arched heads set in fielded panels, over a ground floor with low mezzanine. On the lower story the panels have channeled rustication and rusticated quoins at the corners. Pilasters are applied only to the central three-bay block, which barely projects, and to the corners. The roof-line of the facade is topped by a large coat of arms of the Corsini pope, and is similar to the one ofFontana di Trevi. Lower down, at the entrance, a King of Italy installed his coat of arms.
The interiors have undergone a series of fresco decorations over the centuries. The initial 18th-century frescoes by Antonio Bicchierai andGiovanni Domenico Piastrini, are nearly vanished except for a few allegorical figures in the apartments of the Cardinals. In 1787, the new Cardinale dei Brevi, CardinalRomoaldo Braschi-Onesti, had the palaced redecorated byBernardino Nocchi, which was also nearly lost except for frescoes on theMyth of Proserpine in the "Salone Pompeiano" and decoration in the ceiling of the "Studio dei Giudici" depicting charity and the four virtues. The Savoy monarchy had frescoed completed byDomenico Bruschi,Cecrope Barilli andAnnibale Brugnoli.
Media related toPalazzo della Consulta (Rome) at Wikimedia Commons
| Preceded by Palazzo Colonna | Landmarks of Rome Palazzo della Consulta | Succeeded by Palazzo Farnese |
