Palazzo Chigi

For other uses, see Palazzo Chigi (disambiguation).

Palazzo Chigi
Palazzo Chigi, seat of the Italian Government
General information
Town or city	Rome
Country	Italy
Coordinates	41°54′05″N 12°28′47″E / 41.901389°N 12.479722°E / 41.901389; 12.479722
Construction started	1562
Completed	1580
Design and construction
Client	Aldobrandini family Chigi family
Architect	Giacomo della Porta Carlo Maderno

The Palazzo Chigi (Italian pronunciation: [paˈlatt͡so ˈkiːdʒi]) is a palace or noble residence in Rome, overlooking the Piazza Colonna and the Via del Corso. It was begun in 1562 by Giacomo della Porta and completed by Carlo Maderno in 1580 for the Aldobrandini family. In 1659 it was purchased by the Chigi family.^[1] It was then remodelled by Felice della Greca and Giovan Battista Contini. It has five floors, a broad stairway that leads to the living rooms, and a courtyard decorated with a fountain, designed by Giacomo della Porta. The fountain has been copied in many sites in Rome and other Italian cities.^[2]

In 1878 it became the residence of the Austro-Hungarian Ambassador to Italy. In 1916 it was bought by the Italian state and became the seat of the Minister for Colonial Affairs. Later it was the official residence of the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs. In 1961 it became the official meeting place of Council of Ministers whose President is the head of the Italian government.

Palazzo Chigi is the official residence of Prime Minister of Italy. Since May 2008, until November 2011 the tenant of Chigi was Silvio Berlusconi, former prime minister of Italy.

See also

Some other Italian institutional buildings:

• Palazzo del Quirinale Seat of the President of the Italian Republic
• Palazzo Madama Seat of the Italian Senate
• Palazzo Montecitorio Seat of the Italian Chamber of Deputies
• Palazzo della Consulta, seat of the Constitutional Court of Italy

• 

  Palazzo Chigi in an 18th-century etching by Giuseppe Vasi.
• 

  Another view of the main facade of Palazzo Chigi.

External links

• (Italian) History of Palazzo Chigi, Website of the Italian government

Notes

1. ^ "Palaces, Villas and Gardens". Rome Guide Italy. Travelplan.it. http://www.travelplan.it/rome_guide_palaces_villas_gardens.htm. Retrieved 2007-05-19. 
2. ^ Roberto Piperno; Rosamie Moore. "Piazza Colonna". http://www.romeartlover.it/Vasi22.htm#Palazzo%20Chigi. Retrieved 2007-05-19.