Palazzo del Monte di Pietà, Renaissance banking palace in Rione Regola, Italy
Palazzo del Monte di Pietà is a mannerist building on Piazza del Monte di Pietà in the Regola district of Rome. The facade features two doorways separated by a fountain, along with decorative niches and coats of arms carved into the stonework.
The institution was founded in the 16th century as a charitable pawnbroker to protect poorer Romans from moneylenders. In the early 17th century, Cardinal Benedetto Giustiniani commissioned architect Ottavio Mascarino to expand the complex into the form it has today.
The chapel inside is decorated with colored marble and gilded stucco, and can be visited on certain occasions. It offers a rare look at the craftsmanship of Roman baroque artists.
The building is close to Campo de' Fiori and easy to reach on foot. It remains an active institution, so access to some areas may be limited depending on the day.
The building's clock tower was long known for showing the wrong time. A local story claims that an angry watchmaker once damaged the mechanism on purpose, though no one has ever confirmed it.
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