Oh Rome! So gigantic! So marvelous! so many wonders, and not all of them are ancient! The quartiere Coppedè is an amazing part of the Eternal City.

But first, note how the jasmine is trained up the side of the bump out.

In central Rome, just a stone’s throw from the old city centre, a fascinating neighborhood exists: it is filled with an amazing combination of Liberty (or Italian Art Nouveau) and Art Deco works, with Greek, Gothic, Baroque and even Medieval influences.

This is quartiere Coppedè, a complex located between the two streets, Via Salaria and Via Nomentana, consisting in 26 small palaces and 17 villini or detached houses. A tall, elaborately adorned arch joins the two ambassadors’ palaces, or Palazzi degli Ambasciatori. A large wrought iron lamp adorns the entrance to this complex – projected and constructed between 1915 and 1927 by the eclectic architect Gino Coppedè, who gave his name to this quartiere. After the death of the architect, the works were completed by his son-in-law Paolo Emilio Andrè.

This early twentieth-century complex of constructions – a splendidly artificial blend of architectural idioms – adjoins piazza Mincio. Adding to all this ‘pomp and circumstance’ is the Fontana delle Rane (frogs fountain), in the middle of piazza Mincio. It is an imposing work, adorned with 12 frogs (it is also famous because the Beatles jumped into its basin, fully clothed, after a concert at the Piper discothèque nearby).

The two main buildings feature an abundance of amazing adornments, the Palazzina del Ragno (the spider building) harks back to the style of the Assyro-Babylonians, and features a large spider on its facade. The fairies’ building (Villino delle Fate) is noteworthy for its total lack of symmetry, and its arches and Mediaeval friezes combining any number of materials (marble, brick, travertine, terracotta, glass). The air of fantasy which surrounds this location has attracted a number of film makers. The horror film director, Dario Argento, was enormously impressed by the quartiere Coppedè, and he used it as a set for two of his most famous works “Inferno” and L’uccello dalle piume di cristallo (The Bird with the Crystal Plumage).

The area also appears in other films, such as “Il profumo della signora in nero” (Perfume of the Lady in Black) by Francesco Barilli, “Ultimo tango a Zagarlo” (Last Tango in Zagarol) by Nando Cicero, and “Audace colpo dei soliti ignoti” (Fiasco in Milan, also known as Hold-up à la milanaise) by Nanni Loy, starring Vittorio Gassman.

Strolling through this neighborhood there are so many incredible palazzi!

Just enjoy these art nouveau and art deco features. They intermix very often in Italian architecture of the early 20th century.

You don’t need my commentary. Enjoy!

Come back soon!

More to come!