Virtual tour of Palazzo Chigi

Palazzo Chigi has been the seat of the Italian Government since 1961. After being purchased by the State in 1917, the palace was first used as the headquarters of the Ministry of Colonies, and later became home to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

Palazzo Chigi’s architectural history spans more than three centuries and has involved several redesign projects. 

In medieval times, the site where the palace now stands was occupied by small shops and houses, two of which were purchased by Pietro Aldobrandini between 1578 and 1580, to build himself a prestigious residence.

Construction work continued intermittently in the period that followed, with other small houses being purchased for the project. Most of the palace had been completed by 1622, after Donna Olimpia became the Aldobrandini family’s sole heir. 

The richly decorated part of the building that belonged to the Aldobrandini family was located on the corner between Via del Corso and Piazza Colonna. In 1659, Fabio Chigi, elected as Pope Alexander VII, decided to purchase the structure, making it a residence for his relatives who had followed him to Rome from Siena. In the years that followed, the adjacent houses were purchased and work to further expand the palace to Via dello Sdrucciolo and Via dell’Impresa was entrusted first to architect Felice dalla Greca and later to architect Giovan Battista Contini. 

The basic structure of Palazzo Chigi as it stands today was completed towards the end of 17th century. 

Council of Ministers meeting room

This room has been used to hold meetings of the Council of Ministers [the Italian cabinet] since 1961, when Palazzo Chigi became seat of the Italian Government. 

A decorative frieze by Austrian painter Johann Paul Schor runs underneath the ceiling, featuring the heads and shoulders of mythological figures. Two large tapestries by Flemish weaver Leyniers adorn the walls, depicting episodes from the life of Alexander the Great.

The room also features a white marble fireplace that dates back to the end of the 18th century, and antique wooden chancel chairs along its back wall.

The round table in the centre replaced the rectangular one from the Viminale Palace (current home of the Ministry of the Interior) that was used for the first Council of Ministers meetings.

The Four Seasons or Globe Room

The ‘Sala delle Quattro Stagioni’ [‘Four Seasons Room’] was decorated by artists Annibale Angelini and Vincenzo Paliotti in 1857 to mark the marriage of Mario Chigi and Princess Antonietta Sayn Wittgenstein. This room takes its name from the frescoes in the lunettes of the vaulted ceiling: spring and summer are depicted on the eastern side and autumn and winter are depicted on the western side, closest to the courtyard.

The centre of the vaulted ceiling features a drape being held up by cherubs with the coats of arms of the two families in the centre, replacing the original Aldobrandini heraldry. The frieze that runs along the walls instead includes four oval paintings of winged cherubs armed with arrows, riding real and imaginary animals.

Two globes by Matthäus Greuter stand either side of the door leading to the Council of Ministers meeting room, which is why this is also known as the ‘Sala dei Mappamondi’ [‘Globe Room’]. One depicts the celestial sphere (1636), while the other shows the lands that had been discovered at the time (1632).

The Galleon Room

The ‘Sala dei Galeoni’ [‘Galleon Room’] takes its name from the five white stucco bas-reliefs depicting galleons at sail, which were placed above the doors when Palazzo Chigi became home to the Ministry of Colonies in 1917.

These bas-reliefs match the room’s richly decorated cornice, featuring the faces of 72 different women that represent the world’s different ethnic groups. A large chandelier made from Murano glass adorns the room - a modern day purchase but in 18th century style.

Two large canvases by Giovan Battista Pace hang from the walls, recreating the frescoes by Giuseppe Cesari (also known as the ‘Cavalier d'Arpino’) in Palazzo dei Conservatori in Campidoglio: the ‘Battle of Tullus Hostilius against the Veientes and the Fidenates’ and the ‘Battle between Horatii and Curiatii’.

A pair of 18th century terracotta pieces called ‘Day and Night’ by Bartolomeo Cavaceppi are also on display in the room.

This room is usually used by the President of the Council of Ministers to issue press statements following meetings with Heads of State and Government.

The Tapestry Rooms

The ‘Sale degli Arazzi’ [‘Tapestry Rooms’] are situated next to the ‘Galleon Room’ and feature a vaulted ceiling divided into panels and lunettes resting on a richly decorated cornice of stucco friezes.

The first room is used as an antechamber for the Secretary General of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and is furnished with sofas and chairs made from carved, gilded wood, dating back to the second half of the 18th century.

Three tapestries from the ‘Alexander the Great’ series by Ian Leyniers hang from the walls and the room is also home to two varnished, golden consoles whose legs are decorated with masks.

The second room is used as a meeting room and features two tapestries depicting stories of Noah: the ‘Great Flood’ and the ‘Inebriation of Noah’. Two 19th century paintings showing scenes from the Risorgimento are also on display.

Casino del Bel Respiro

This virtual tour also includes the ‘Casino del Bel Respiro’, representative seat of the Italian Government since 1984, which is located in the grounds of Villa Doria Pamphilj in Rome. 

The Casino del Bel Respiro was commissioned by Pope Innocent X (born Giovanni Battista Pamphilj) as a country residence. The building is also known as the ‘Casino dell'Algardi’ after the sculptor who, together with artist and architect Giovanni Francesco Grimaldi, was in charge of its construction from 1644 onwards, based on the design by Bernini.

The building has richly decorated façades featuring reliefs, friezes and statues, and a Palladian layout with a large circular drawing room in the centre. 

The gardens are organised on three levels. The entrance garden, with terracing that overlooks Via Aurelia Antica, opens out in front of the Villa and features a semicircle of statues. From here, two sets of steps to the side lead down to the Secret Garden, where evergreen hedgerows form the shape of the Pamphilj family heraldry: the dove and the fleur-de-lis. More steps then lead down to the Theatre Garden, which is now a public park.

The upper garden features an archaeological site with three Roman burial grounds: the small and large columbaria, discovered in 1821 and 1838 respectively, and the ‘Scribonius Menophilus’ columbarium, which was found in 1984.

The Science Room

The ‘Sala delle Scienze’ [‘Science Room’] leads on from the ‘Four Seasons Room’ and is situated in the oldest part of the palace, as can be seen by its smaller size and lower ceiling compared with the previous rooms, as well as by its frescoed cornice with rhomboidal frames dating back to the 17th century.

This room is embellished with three medallions positioned above the 18th-century gilded doors, each featuring an oil painting by Gioacchino Agricola dated 1770. The medallions depict the Allegories of Geography, of Astronomy and of Geometry, bearing witness to the Chigi family’s interest in the sciences and the tools used to investigate nature.

A painting from 1658 by Michele Pace, who was also known as the Michelangelo of Campidoglio, hangs on one of the walls, together with another by Frans Snyders.

The Chigiana Library

The fourth floor of Palazzo Chigi is home to an antique library, which was built at the end of the 17th century by architect Giovan Battista Contini.

Columns of wooden shelving run all around the room, with a balcony half way up providing access to the upper level. 

The Chigiana Library is the only room in the palace that still serves its original purpose. The Italian State transferred the original books to the Vatican Library in 1923; today, the room’s antique shelves hold a modern collection dedicated to Government activities. 

The most recent restoration work was completed in 2008. 

The Woodland Landscape Room

The ‘Sala dei Paesaggi Boscosi’ [‘Woodland Landscape Room’], situated on the third floor of Palazzo Chigi, takes its name from the countryside scenes painted on the walls. The room’s current appearance dates back to the 1920s: following the damage caused by the 1915 Avezzano earthquake, two of the doors were bricked up and the walls were decorated by Giorgio Sernicoli in keeping with those already present – with cypress and pine trees standing on rocky spurs.

The ceiling still features its original decoration, depicting cherubs dancing in a cloudy sky above the banisters of a terrace. In the corners, oval frames surround monochrome paintings representing the Arts.

The Green Room antechamber

Palazzo Chigi’s ‘Grand Stairway of Honour’ leads up to the ‘Green Room’ antechamber on the third floor. 

Photographs of all the former Presidents of the Council of Ministers hang from the walls, with the first dating back to 1861 – the year of Italy’s Unification. The dates when their respective governments entered and left office are shown below each photograph.

On one of the walls there is also a list of all those who have held the role of Secretary General to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers over time.

The Green Room

The ‘Sala Verde’ [‘Green Room’], situated on the third floor of Palazzo Chigi, takes its name from the colour of the damask used for the walls and upholstery.

A grand oval table stands in the centre, and the room is also equipped with a recording system and interpreting booths. These booths are located in a gallery which is accessed via two spiral staircases hidden behind cylinder structures made from wood.

The Green Room is used for Government meetings with trade union organisations and social partners. It was in this very room on 23 July 1993 when Italy’s Government, entrepreneurs and trade unions signed the Ciampi-Giugni Protocol, which formalised the principle of concertation with the social partners. This room is also used for the preliminary meetings held prior to each Council of Ministers meeting and for meetings of the military crisis unit.

The Courtyard

The entrance to Palazzo Chigi from Piazza Colonna leads into a large, bright courtyard lined with porticoes, designed by Felice Della Greca.

The courtyard is characterised by a series of arches and square columns, above which runs a strip decorated with weaponry trophies and musical instruments, in 16th century style. Above this decorative strip are the arched gable windows of the first floor. Baroque-style stucco decorations can be seen between one floor and another.

The rhythm of the porticoes, decorations and windows is interrupted in the corner between Via del Corso and Piazza Colonna, where the former Palazzo Aldobrandini used to stand. In this part of the palace, the original staircase still remains and the ground floor, which was once home to small shops, is now used for the Press Room.

The fourth floor was designed by architect Giovan Battista Contini to house the library that was left by Cardinal Flavio Chigi. Contini is also credited with the monumental, enclosed roof terrace facing Palazzo Montecitorio, which was added to contend with the nearby Palazzo dei Ludovisi for the prestige of being the tallest building.

The courtyard is home to an 18th century water fountain decorated with the Chigi family emblem: six hills surmounted by a star. The fountain is situated to the left of today’s main door, but is in line with the former entrance on Via del Corso, opposite Via del Tritone, which has since been closed off. Leading on from this former entrance stand two ancient statues that mark the beginning of the ‘Scalone d’Onore’ [‘Grand Stairway of Honour’]. This stairway is lit by large, 17th-century, bronze lanterns featuring the Chigi family’s heraldic star and by full-height windows.

The Golden Drawing Room

The ‘Salone d’Oro’ [‘Golden Drawing Room’] is situated on the third floor of Palazzo Chigi.

This drawing room was decorated between 1765 and 1767 by a number of artists and craftsmen under the guidance of architect Giovanni Stern, to mark the marriage of Sigismondo Chigi and Maria Flaminia Odescalchi. Among them was sculptor Tommaso Righi, whose bas-relief cherubs, gryphons and male and female figures bring the walls to life.

Righi is also credited with the large hunting nymphs above the doors, holding the paintings by Flemish artist Giovanni De Momper. The inlaid wooden flooring is the work of the ebony craftsman Andrea Mimmi and the ceiling panels and surrounding frieze were painted by artist Giovanni Angeoloni. Lastly, the extraordinary leaf decorations made from gilded cast metal that frame the mirrors and form the base of the lamps were completed by Luigi Valadier. 

In the centre of the ceiling is a 17th-century painting by Giovan Battista Gaulli: ‘Diana spying on the sleeping Endymion’.

The Flags

The Italian Republic and European Union flags are flown from the Palazzo Chigi façade, and specific regulations govern their precise positioning.

The Italian flag has pride of place, positioned to the right (to the left for those facing it), while the European Union flag is positioned to the left. During visits by Heads of State or Government, the Italian flag is moved to the centre and the flag of the foreign State is positioned to the right as a sign of courtesy. Should the guest be from another EU Member State, the European Union flag is placed in the centre, with the guest country’s flag to the right and the Italian flag to the left.

During meetings of the Council of Ministers, the flags are also flown from the balcony on the corner of the building between Via del Corso and Piazza Colonna.

[Symphonic version of the Italian National Anthem by Maestro Fulvio Creux, performed by the Italian Army Band, courtesy of Scomegna Edizioni Musicali S.r.l]

Press Room

The Palazzo Chigi press room is situated on the ground floor, to the right of the main entrance.

The adequate lighting in the press room allows photographers and camera operators to use their equipment without a flash.

Inside the press room, journalists are provided with workstations equipped with computers where they can work daily, as well as small studios for live TV and radio broadcasts.

The Deti Antechamber

The ‘Anticamera Deti’ [‘Deti Antechamber’] is situated on the first floor of Palazzo Chigi, next to the ‘Science Room’.

The decorative strip underneath the ceiling, frescoed by Flaminio Allegrini, features a series of squares illustrating episodes from the life of Pope Clement VIII, interspersed with landscape scenes. A crescent moon appears in the corners of the frames, which was the emblem of Cardinal Giovanni Battista Deti. Olimpia Aldobrandini entrusted this Cardinal with the entire property in 1626, appointing him to complete, and also bear the cost of, the remaining architectural work on the palace, together with the decorations of the antechamber and its adjoining rooms.

This room has a fireplace which is adorned with a large, 18th-century mirror, made from gilded wood and carved with sphinxes and dolphins. In the centre stands a table dating back to 1670, featuring an antique yellow marble top supported by a cherub at each corner. The large Murano chandelier hanging from the ceiling is made from gilded metal and Bohemian crystal and counts 48 lights.

The Yellow Sitting Room

The ‘Salotto Giallo’ [‘Yellow Sitting Room’] is situated on the first floor of Palazzo Chigi. Together with the adjoining Deti Antechamber and Deti Gallery, this room formed part of the original Aldobrandini-Deti apartment. Cardinal Deti commissioned Flaminio Allegrini to decorate it between 1626 and 1630. 

The frieze in this room, which runs along the walls underneath the wooden beamed ceiling, celebrates the achievements of Giovanni Francesco Aldobrandini, Olimpia’s husband. The coats of arms of the Chigi family and of the Sayn family were added to each corner in the 19th century to mark the marriage of Mario Chigi and Antonietta Sayn.

A fireplace decorated with a large 18th-century mirror similar to the one in the antechamber stands at one side of the room and on either side there are two paintings: the portrait of a young Laura Marsili Chigi, mother of Pope Alexander VII, and the ‘Portrait of a woman with a tiara’, produced by the Tuscan School in the 16th century. On the other wall hangs ‘The Flood’ by Francesco Bassano.

This is the room where the President of the Council of Ministers receives guests and their delegations for meetings.

The Deti Gallery

The ‘Galleria Deti’ [‘Deti Gallery’], the last room of the original Aldobrandini-Deti apartment, is now the office of the President of the Council of Ministers.

This room is completely different from the ‘Deti Antechamber’ and ‘Yellow Sitting Room’ in terms of both its architectural structure and decorations. The richly gilded vaulted ceiling, frescoed by Flaminio Allegrini, depicts biblical characters representing sin and the redemption of mankind. Three scenes from Genesis appear in the centre of the ceiling: the ‘Original Sin’, the ‘Creation of Eve’ and the ‘Expulsion from the Garden of Eden’. Cardinal Deti’s emblem, the crescent moon, can be seen in each corner, framing the rake and stars of the Aldobrandini family heraldry.