The Villino Hüffer is a historical building in the Via Nazionale in Rome. The palace can be seen to the left of the Palazzo delle Esposizioni. It is the present seat of the Historical Archives of the Banca d’Italia. The bank acquired the building in 2001 and also had it restored. Most of the rooms still have the original decorations.
Villino Hüffer Rome
Address, opening hours and admission
Address: Via Nazionale, 191 – Rome (tel. Banca d’Italia: +39 06 47921). District: Rione Monti. Bus: 40, 64. Opening hours and admission: The building can only be seen from outside.
History
The Villino Hüffer was built towards the end of the 19th century by the French architect Jules A.F.A. Pellechet. Construction lasted from 1880 till 1883. The owner of the building was the enormously wealthy German businessman Wilhelm Hüffer.
In 1870, after the start of the war between France and Prussia, Hüffer had sold his business and decided to move to Rome. He initially settled in the Palazzo Borghese. In 1879 he bought the land along the Via Nazionale and had his villino built.
He also contributed to a reconstruction of other landmarks in the area, including the Quirinal Gardens.
Description
The ground plan of the building, which consists of three floors, is rectangular in shape. The main entrance to the palace is on the side that faces the garden. The iron gate is decorated with the initials of the former owner. Just like the overhanging roof this gate was made in France, by the Maison André.
The atrium is characterized by two-colored marble, columns and bas-reliefs.
Most of the original decorations inside the building are still intact. Stairs lead to the piano nobile, which has its rooms laid out around the central ballroom. This room is decorates with paintings of mythological and musical figures by the artist Annibale Brugnoli. Brugnoli also painted the central part of the ceiling, which is further decorated with elaborate stucco ornaments.
The surrounding rooms (billiard room, dining room, Costanza‘s room, smoking room and bathroom) also contain the original decorations. Especially the intricately carved ceiling decorations ar impressive.