Palazzo Massimo alle Colonne, Renaissance palace in Rome, Italy
Palazzo Massimo alle Colonne is a Renaissance palace whose distinctive curved facade displays six Doric columns across its front. The building contains two inner courtyards and rooms decorated with frescoes, particularly on the upper level where the family chapel sits.
Architect Baldassare Peruzzi designed this palace after 1527, when the Sack of Rome destroyed an older structure on this site. Construction took several years and shows how Renaissance masters transformed medieval ruins into elegant new buildings.
The name comes from the Massimo family, who have occupied and shaped the house across generations. Inside, you see how a wealthy Roman family organized their life between art collections and private chapels.
Access is very limited and happens only on a few days each year, so check visiting times beforehand. The palace sits in the old city on a narrow street, so it is easy to find, but visitor numbers are strictly controlled.
The curved facade follows the foundation lines of an ancient Roman odeon built by Emperor Domitian, giving the building an optical depth it does not really have. This adaptation to archaeological remains shows how Renaissance architects played with the past.
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