Palazzo di Giustizia

Palazzo di Giustizia is the seat of the Supreme Court of Cassation of Italy, located in Piazza Cavour, in Rome. The palace is commonly called the Palazzaccio (Bad Palace), due to its unusual dimensions, excessive decorations and laborious construction, which led, at the beginning of the 20th century, to the suspicion of corruption.

SHORT HISTORY

The palace, one of the major works created after the proclamation of Rome as the capital of the Kingdom of Italy, was built between 1889 and 1911 by the Perugian architect Guglielmo Calderini.

The official inauguration of the works, with the laying of the first stone, took place on the afternoon of 14 March 1889, in the presence of the sovereigns Umberto I and Margherita. The palace was inaugurated 22 years after the beginning of the works, in the presence of the sovereign Vittorio Emanuele III, on 11 January 1911.

At the end of the sixties, the cracks and collapses increased, a commission of specialists was established to decide the fate of the monument, and most of them called for its demolition. However, the demolition cost was enormous, and it was decided that the palace will be saved. In the seventies, the palace underwent a series of renovation works.

ARCHITECTURE

The building, inspired by the late Renaissance and Baroque architecture, has a size of 170 x 155 meters, and is completely covered with travertine. The side facing the Tiber is surmounted by a large bronze chariot drawn by four horses, made in 1926 by the Palermo sculptor Ettore Ximenes.

On the main facade, there are 10 large statues of notable jurists, and the upper part of the rear facade, from Piazza Cavour, is enriched by a bronze coat of arms of the House of Savoy.

Inside, the Hall of the Court of Cassation, also known as the Aula Magna, is decorated with several frescoes, started by the Sienese Cesare Maccari and continued, in 1918, by his student Paride Pascucci.

HOW TO GET THERE

The closest Metro station is Lepanto, located about 800 meters away, on the Metro Line A. The closest bus station is Piazza Cavour, on the bus Lines 30, 70, 81, 87, 130F, 280, 301, 492 and 913.