Our Rome Tour - Roman Aristocratic Residences

Roman Aristocratic Residences

	Galleria Doria Pamphili - Galleria Spada
	How did the families of the Roman Aristocracy live during the golden Ages of the Renaissance and the Baroque? Their palaces show their taste for art, luxury, culture, nature and beauty.

After the middle ages, eminent and rich families had moved into Rome. Here they tried every mean to increase their power following the strategy of having a member of their family becoming Cardinal to eventually be elected Pope.

Noble families built themselves sumptuous palaces similar to royal courts, which contained princely art collections. It was from these residences that patricians extended their generous patronage to painters, sculptors and architects, creating the grandeur of Rome and the Baroque style which would be imitated throughout Europe.

An impressive example is the magnificent palace of Doria Pamphili with its Art Gallery. At the end of the 17th century this superb Baroque residence was the centre of Rome's artistic and cultural life. The Pamphili art gallery symbolizes the family's opulent wealth.

Doria Pamphili Hall of Mirrors contains a rich collection of works by major Italian artists from the 1500s and 1600s. Paintings by Caravaggio, Velasquez and Titian to name but a few, in what is a truly magnificent collection. Sometimes the Pamphili family allows members of the public to visit part of their private apartment.

We'll walk in the enchanting city centre meandering into the narrow alleys to reach Palazzo Spada, housing the another important fine art collection.

We can admire the works of Guercino and the renowned Borromini Perspective: a fabulous work of architecture consisting of a 9 meters long corridor that looks much longer thanks to a perspective trick.