The 16th century Palazzo Caffarelli in Rome was constructed on top of what used to be the Roman Tempio di Giove Capitolino. The building used to be part of a larger complex, known as Villa Caffarelli. At the moment it is being used as an exhibition space.
A brief history of Palazzo Caffarelli in Rome
In 1538, Emperor Charles V gave a stretch of land on top of the Capitol Hill to Ascanio Caffarelli. Ascanio‘s father Gian Pietro had served as the emperor’s page. Ascanio used the land to build the Villa Caffarelli. The entrance to the villa can be seen at the beginning of the Via delle Tre Pile.
In order to make construction of the villa possible, part of the hill had to be leveled.
The Roman nobleman had this stretch of the hill leveled to build the family residence according to a design by Gregorio Canonica, a pupil of Vignola. The construction lasted from 1576 to 1583 and was finished by Ascanio‘s son Gian Pietro II.
Gregorio Canonica was responsible for the design.
The villa stayed in the hands of the Caffarelli family until 1854, when they sold the entire complex to Wilhelm I of Prussia. In 1899, Wilhelm II had the facade restored and the interior decorated with paintings. A library and a German hospital were also constructed inside its walls. Until the end of World War I, it served as the Embassy of Prussia.
After World War I, the Italian government seized the property. Part of the villa was then demolished during excavations for the Tempio di Giove Capitolino. The top floors of the east wing became a wide terrace, while the palace itself was used as the seat of the Galleria Mussolini. This last name was later changed into Museo Nuovo.
In the course of the years, the collections of this museum were moved to different venues.
What to see
The former entrance to the villa is located to the right of the Palazzo dei Conservatori. The gate is decorated with two masks and a lunette with the inscription “Ioannes Petrus Caffarellius” on the exterior and “MDLXXXIIII” on the interior.
The present façade has three floors with 9 windows each.
From the square in front of the building you can enjoy a beautiful panorama over Trastevere.
The garden of Palazzo Caffarelli
The garden of the Palazzo Caffarelli is decorated with several sarcophagi, statues and (parts of) ancient architectural elements. Until the end of 2025, there is also a copy of the Colossus of Constantine. Original parts of this statue, including the head, are on display in the courtyard of the Palazzo dei Conservatori.
Museum
Since 2020, the ground floor of the Palazzo Caffarelli has been reopened to the public as part of the Capitoline Museums, dedicated to temporary exhibitions.
Practical information
Address: Piazzale Caffarelli, 4 – Roma.