The building known as the House of Ettore Fieramosca is located on the corner of Piazza Santa Cecilia and Piazza dei Mercanti in the Trastevere district in Rome. It is a so-called “tower house” (casa torre) and was constructed in the second half of the 13th century.
Ettore Fieramosca House Rome
Address, opening hours and admission
Address Casa di Ettore Fieramosca: Piazza dei Mercanti – Roma. Opening hours and admission: The house is private property and can only be viewed from outside.
History and description
Ettore Fieramosca was born in Capua in 1476 and was a famous mercenary soldier. He earned his fame mostly in the Disfida di Barlotta, a fight between 13 Italian and 13 French soldiers. After the French leader Charles de Torgues had accused the the Italian soldiers of cowardice the Italians challenged them. The resulting fight was won by Fieramosca and his men.
After Fieramosca had fought for the Spanish army, he managed to get political privileges for his native city. Later these privileges were withdrawn again.
The Italian author Massimo D’Azeglio wrote a historical novel about Fieramosca.
It is not certain that Fieramosca actually lived in the house named after him.
The house itself was recently restored, but it kept most of its original characteristics, like the medieval tower and the elegant pillars with ionic capitals. The portico it once boasted is now cemented shut, but the original columns with ionic capitols are still visible.
The building used to belong to the Order of the Umiliati, who lived in complete poverty and gave all their superfluous possessions to the poor. The Order, which occupied itself with the production of wool, was disbanded by Pope Pius V in the year 1750.