Pinciano is the name of Rome‘s third quartiere. Of all the quartieri, Pinciano may well be the one with the biggest concentration of tourist attractions. Most of these are found in and around the Villa Borghese Park.
Pinciano District Rome (Quartiere III)
History
The name Pinciano as a denomination of the entire quarter is a fairly recent one, since before World War II only the part between the Via Pinciana and the Via Salaria was called Pinciano, while the remaining part was called “of the rivers”. The reason for this was that all streets were named after rivers in this area. The original name of the quartiere is yet another one, Vittorio Emanuele III.
Tourist Attractions
The Porta del Popolo is impressive and in the Viale delle Belle Arti there are two important museums, i.e. the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna and the Etruscan Museum. One of Rome’s most famous museums can likewise be found in the Villa Borghese: The Galleria Borghese, with many works by famous artists like Bernini and Canova.
Villa Borghese
Most of the tourist attractions of the district can be found in the enormous Villa Borghese Park. This park contains three important museums, plus a number of smaller ones. There is a lake in the middle and statues and other sculptures are placed all over its grounds. There is also a small children’s cinema.
Villa Giulia Etruscan Museum
The National Etruscan Museum in the Villa Giulia (Museo Nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia) is housed in a beautiful palazzo in the northern part of the Villa Borghese Park. Its extensive collection shows archaeological finds from the age of the Etruscans, a people who lived in (especially) the northern part of Lazio in pre-Roman times.
Galleria Borghese
The Galleria Borghese is one of a number of interesting museums in the Villa Borghese. The collection consists of one floor of paintings and one of sculptures. The museum is especially famous for its permanent collection, but every so often also organizes prestigious temporary exhibitions.
Villa Poniatowski
Villa Poniatowski is a historical building in the north-west corner of the park. Part of the building is now used a secondary seat of the adjacent Villa Giulia Etruscan Museum. The original 15th century villa was modified by the famous 19th century architect Valadier.
San Panfilo Catacomb
The Catacomb of Saint Panfilo is located along the Via Salaria Vecchia, to be more precise underneath the present Via Paisello and the Via Spontini. The present entrance of this catacomb is inside the Santa Teresa di Bambin Gesù in Panfilo Church. It is normally not open to tourists.
The Roma Zoo (Bioparco) and the race-track Piazza di Siena are also to be found in the Villa Borghese.