Torre dei Conti

Rome, Italy

The Torre dei Conti was one of the most impressive towers that dominated medieval Rome. It was built in 1238 by Richard Conti, brother of Pope Innocent III as a fortified residence for his family, the Conti di Segni. The tower stood on the border of the territory of the rival family of the Frangipani. Currently standing at 29 metres, it was once 50–60 m tall, and gained the nickname of Torre Maggiore (Major Tower) for its size. Originally covered in travertine salvaged from the ruins of the Imperial Fora, this covering was in turn stripped for use in the construction of the Porta Pia in the 16th century, designed by Michelangelo.

The upper floors were destroyed by a series of earthquakes culminating in the earthquake of 1348, after which it was abandoned until 1620, when it was rebuilt by the Papal Chamber. Other earthquakes in 1630 and 1644 caused damage which was repaired at the end of the 17th century by Pope Alexander VIII, who added two buttresses.

With the opening of the Via Cavour in the 19th century and the Via dei Fori Imperiali in the early 20th century, the tower was left isolated from other buildings. In 1937, the tower was donated by Benito Mussolini to the Arditi (Italian stormtroopers), which retained ownership until 1943. The tower contains the mausoleum of General Alessandro Parisi, whose remains are preserved in an ancient Roman sarcophagus. Parisi, who died in an automobile accident in 1938, was the leader of the Arditi.

References:

Comments

Your name

Website (optional)


Address

Via Tor de' Conti 37, Rome, Italy
See all sites in Rome

Details

Founded: 1238
Category: Castles and fortifications in Italy

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

3.9/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Colosseum (0,5 km)
Sistine Chapel (3 km)
Arch of Constantine (0,5 km)
St. Peter's Basilica (3 km)
Basilica of Santa Maria in Ara Coeli (0,4 km)
Altare della Patria (0,4 km)
St. Peter's Square (2,7 km)
Pantheon (1,1 km)
Vatican Historical Museum (3,1 km)


Villa d'Este (26,6 km)

User Reviews

Wilfried M (7 months ago)
Soweit ich mich erinnern kann, befand sich der Torre im Okt 2018 hinter einem hohen Bretterzaun. Ich vermute hier wird an der neuen U-Bahn gebaut.
Add Name (10 months ago)
Always great to walk there
iervo persia (17 months ago)
Diciamo che il posto la location la bellezza della struttura sarebbe da 5 Stelle purtroppo ancora una volta della capitale dobbiamo accontentarci di immaginare come potrebbe essere stata immaginare lo stato iniziale. In totale stato di abbandono la torre non è affatto curata ed è lasciata a marcire in nel pieno centro di Roma. Non so esattamente di chi sia la colpa sempre con me 190 e Ministero comunque qualche ente governativo Ma posso immaginare che i soldi per sistemarla siano stati sicuramente nei 2000 anni passati stanziati e finiti in qualche altra tasca all'italiana maniera
Vladimir Di Bartolomeo (2 years ago)
Amazing
Francesco Campanini (3 years ago)
La torre è molto bella, ma è in stato di abbandono. Ha le finestre aperte, così quando piove entra l'acqua...peccato! Speriamo che risolvano la situazione.
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Must-see historic sighs in Luxembourg
Photo from Flickr, copyright Alexxx1979

Historic Site of the week

Church of the Savior on Blood

The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is one of the main sights of St. Petersburg. The church was built on the site where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated and was dedicated in his memory. Construction began in 1883 under Alexander III, as a memorial to his father, Alexander II. Work progressed slowly and was finally completed during the reign of Nicholas II in 1907. Funding was provided by the Imperial family with the support of many private donors.

Architecturally, the Cathedral differs from St. Petersburg's other structures. The city's architecture is predominantly Baroque and Neoclassical, but the Savior on Blood harks back to medieval Russian architecture in the spirit of romantic nationalism. It intentionally resembles the 17th-century Yaroslavl churches and the celebrated St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow.

The Church contains over 7500 square metres of mosaics — according to its restorers, more than any other church in the world. The interior was designed by some of the most celebrated Russian artists of the day — including Viktor Vasnetsov, Mikhail Nesterov and Mikhail Vrubel — but the church's chief architect, Alfred Alexandrovich Parland, was relatively little-known (born in St. Petersburg in 1842 in a Baltic-German Lutheran family). Perhaps not surprisingly, the Church's construction ran well over budget, having been estimated at 3.6 million roubles but ending up costing over 4.6 million. The walls and ceilings inside the Church are completely covered in intricately detailed mosaics — the main pictures being biblical scenes or figures — but with very fine patterned borders setting off each picture.

In the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, the church was ransacked and looted, badly damaging its interior. The Soviet government closed the church in the early 1930s. During the Second World War when many people were starving due to the Siege of Leningrad by Nazi German military forces, the church was used as a temporary morgue for those who died in combat and from starvation and illness. The church suffered significant damage. After the war, it was used as a warehouse for vegetables, leading to the sardonic name of Saviour on Potatoes.

In July 1970, management of the Church passed to Saint Isaac's Cathedral (then used as a highly profitable museum) and proceeds from the Cathedral were funneled back into restoring the Church. It was reopened in August 1997, after 27 years of restoration, but has not been reconsecrated and does not function as a full-time place of worship; it is a Museum of Mosaics. Even before the Revolution it never functioned as a public place of worship; having been dedicated exclusively to the memory of the assassinated tsar, the only services were panikhidas (memorial services). The Church is now one of the main tourist attractions in St. Petersburg.

Map Top Sights Tags Historical Periods City Guides About Us Sign Up Upload new site
© 2019 SpottingHistory.com. All rights reserved.