Piazza del Campidoglio

Piazza del Campidoglio occupies the saddle of Rome's Capitoline Hill. Michelangelo's design brought three civic palaces, a central equestrian monument and the Cordonata into a unified architectural composition.

Why it matters

The square transforms a site with ancient religious and medieval civic associations into a consciously ordered public space. Its later completion shows how a Renaissance scheme could shape work carried out across several centuries.

What to notice

The trapezoidal space is framed by Palazzo Senatorio, Palazzo dei Conservatori and Palazzo Nuovo. The Cordonata establishes an approach towards the modern city, with the Dioscuri marking its upper landing. A copy of the equestrian Marcus Aurelius stands at the centre; the ancient bronze is conserved within the Capitoline Museums. The oval and star-patterned pavement organise the surrounding space.

Context and history

The Capitoline had served as a sacred centre and stronghold in antiquity before becoming associated with medieval civic government. Michelangelo developed the square's design in the sixteenth century. Later architects continued the palace fronts and other elements. The patterned pavement was executed in 1940 from the design, adding a twentieth-century completion to the ensemble.