Italy - Rome - Capitoline Museums

Situated in the Piazza del Campidoglio (Capitoline Hill square), the Capitoline Museums are a Classical art lovers dream.  They are the world's oldest national museums, operating since 1471.

These first few photos give a little history of the hill and it's piazza designed by Michelangelo in 1538.

 

Piazza del Campidoglio as approached by the Cordonata staircase.

 

Copy of the bronze equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius.  The original that dates from the 2nd century AD is in the Capitoline Museums.

Massive chunks of Constantine: his foot, hand and head, are located in the courtyard of the first Capitoline Museum, the Palazzo dei Conservatori

Another marble carving in the courtyard.

This loomed over the doorway leading into the interior of the museum.

This and the next four photos are from the staircase landing.

Never forget to look up.

What follows is room after room of sumptuous decorations, statuary and paintings.



Remember what I said about looking up?  This is a panoramic photo of the ceiling with large paintings anchoring each end.

The door between the rooms were divided into cubes of intricate carvings.  Plexiglass covers the carvings so us clumsy tourists don't damage them.

Beautiful chandeliers set in another over the top ceiling.  Pun intended

We saw several different versions of the boy picking a thorn out of his foot.

Looking up again.

But I don't forget to look down either.  These are small tiles.

 

The famous 1st century sculpture of the Etruscan Lupa Capitolina, the Capitoline Wolf with Remus and Romulus statues added in 1471.

Another fantastic ceiling.

 

 

Cabinets of small porcelain figurines filled one hallway.

This painting is huge

 

Loved the busts with clothing carved out of different, colorful stone.

Hallways of the Tabularium, once home to ancient Rome's archives. 

The Tabularium hallways have some great views of the Roman Forum

Back out in Piazza del Campidoglio where the southeastern view is of the Palazzo Senatorio, the mayoral palace.