Piazza del Campidoglio, Renaissance square at Capitoline Hill, Rome, Italy
Piazza del Campidoglio is a Renaissance square on the summit of Capitoline Hill in Rome, Italy, with three palaces arranged around an oval centerpiece. The trapezoidal layout opens toward the Tiber and creates a unified composition with the Palazzo Senatorio at the back and museum buildings flanking both sides.
Pope Paul III commissioned Michelangelo in 1536 to redesign the space for the reception of Emperor Charles V. Work began with the relocation of the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius and continued for decades, long after Michelangelo's death.
The name comes from the ancient Capitolium, the religious and political heart of Rome. Visitors today gather in front of the Palazzo Senatorio, home to the city government, to take in views over the rooftops.
The site is accessible via the gentle Cordonata ramp, a wide incline with shallow steps rising from street level. Visitors approaching from behind can also use the steeper staircase leading to the church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli.
The star pattern in the pavement was executed only in the 20th century, yet follows precisely Michelangelo's 16th-century design. The oval shape at the center creates an optical illusion that makes the space appear wider than it actually is.
Location: Municipio I
Architects: Michelangelo
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
GPS coordinates: 41.89334,12.48292
Latest update: December 5, 2025 16:30
Rome joins history with modern photography. The city spreads across several hills and holds buildings from different centuries, from ancient ruins to baroque churches and fountains. Photographers find subjects on every street corner, from large public squares to narrow alleys in old neighborhoods. The Colosseum and Roman Forum show the building techniques of ancient Rome. Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona present baroque design with flowing water and sculptures. The Spanish Steps serve as a meeting point where people rest on the steps and watch the activity below. The Pantheon has stood for nearly 2,000 years and impresses through its dome with a circular opening at the center. In Vatican City, St. Peter's Basilica rises with its tall dome, and the Vatican Museums contain long galleries filled with artworks. Castel Sant'Angelo stands by the Tiber River and offers a wide view over the city's rooftops from above. Trastevere sits on the other side of the river and shows a different face of Rome: small squares, narrow streets with laundry lines between buildings, and restaurants with tables on the pavement. The church of Santa Maria in Trastevere has a golden mosaic on its facade that glows in the evening light. Campo de' Fiori is a market in the morning with vegetables and flowers, and in the evening the square fills with people. Via Margutta is a quiet street with galleries and plants on the building walls. The Aventine Keyhole shows St. Peter's Dome through a small opening in perfect framing. The Janiculum hill and Villa Borghese Gardens offer green spaces for walking and views over the city. Caracalla Baths and the Appian Way show Rome outside the center, where ancient structures stand in the landscape.
Capitoline Wolf
61 m
Capitoline Museums
33 m
Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius
88 m
Santa Maria in Aracoeli
70 m
Palazzo Senatorio
64 m
Tabularium
84 m
Palazzo dei Conservatori
39 m
Temple of Vespasian and Titus
105 m
Insula Romana
100 m
Marforio
35 m
Temple of Juno Moneta
61 m
Palazzo Nuovo
35 m
Cordonata Capitolina
63 m
Museo Centrale del Risorgimento
104 m
Palazzo Caffarelli
115 m
Clivus Capitolinus
118 m
Temple of Veiovis
82 m
Bufalini Chapel
48 m
Temple of Jupiter Feretrius
85 m
Temple of Jupiter Tonans
85 m
San Biagio de Mercato
104 m
Monument to Cola di Rienzo
65 m
Colonne rostrale d'Aemilius Paullus
106 m
Portico Dii Consentes
118 m
Central Museum of the Risorgimento
105 m
Equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius
38 m
Fitolacca arborea
61 m
Ippocastano
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