Quirinal Hill, Rome

The most obvious point on the Piazza del Quirinale is the Obelisk with its fountain and the two statues of Castor and Pollux, greek gods and guardians of the cavalry. The obelisk is from the mausoleum of emperor Augustus and was brought there in 1786. The statues are from the Constantine baths and were placed there already in 1588 after restauration, but their position was changed during refurbishment works by Pope Pio VI in 1782. The fountain is from 1818, but an older fountain is said to have been there before.

This Palace was built in 1573 as a papal summer residence and was used as a residence by the one or other pope as well as a place for the conclave during the following centuries. After the Papal States were annexed by Italy in 1870, the Quirinal Palace became the see of the italian king, although most of them just used it for representative purposes or as an office. Now it is used as the see of the italian president (not to be confused with the italian prime minister).

The palace is open for public. For entrance fees and opening hours, please check the webpage below (sorry, italian only).

The Quirinal Hill is one of the seven hills, at the north-east of ancient Rome. It is also the name of the official residence of the Italian Head of State, who resides in the Quirinal Palace.

Today the Palazzo hosts the offices and the apartments of the Head of State, and in its long side along via XX Settembre (the so-called Manica Lunga), the apartments that were appositely arranged, decorated and furnished for each visit of foreign monarchs or equivalent authorities.

The Quirinal Hill was very close to our Hotel, Hotel Quirinale. The Quirinal Hill is one of the seven hills of Rome, the Quirinale Hill, where you can find the Opera House of Rome and the Quirinale Palace, the old papal palace, later residence of the kings and nowadays residence of the Italian President of the Republic.
This can be visited before heading to the Trevi Fountain as it is very close by and it is also close to Via Nazzionale.

I bet nobody’s ever mentioned the Giardini del Palazzo del Quirinale, and you know why? because, for security reasons, they’re closed to the public! :’D …nevertheless I thought you would have liked to see what they looked like, since they display a beautiful 18th century fountain, brought here from the Royal Palace of Caserta. The building you see on the background is Ferdinando Fuga’s Coffee House

In the late 16th century the Palazzo del Quirinale became a summer residence for the popes, and it assumed the present form in the 1730s. Following unification of Italy(1870), it became the official residence of the king, then in 1947 of the President of the Republic. From its square you get a splendid view of the city, with St. Peter’s dome in the distance.

Castor and Pollux – the patrons of horsemanship – and their prancing horses stand in splendour in the Piazza del Quirinale. Over 5.5m high, these statues are huge Roman copies of 5th century B.C. Greek originals. They once stood at the entrance to the nearby Baths of Constantine, and were placet here by Pope Sixtus V. The obelisk which stands in the middle was brought here from the Mausoleum of Augustus in 1786.

The Piazza is set just in front of the actual Quirinale building.

The obelisk was actually moved to the piazza from the Mauselo di Augusto.

The statues are of Dioscuri,Pollux and Castor and are copies of the Greek originals.