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 architect Guglielmo Calderini from Perugia.

The official inauguration of the works, with the laying of the first stone, took place on the afternoon of March 14, 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 King Vittorio Emanuele III, on January 11, 1911.

At the end of the 1960s, 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 to save the palace. In the 1970s, 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 River is surmounted by a large bronze chariot drawn by four horses, made in 1926 by the sculptor Ettore Ximenes, from Palermo.

On the main facade, there are 10 large statues of notable jurists, and the upper part of the rear facade, overlooking 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 stop is in Piazza Cavour, on the bus Lines 30, 70, 81, 87, 130F, 280, 301, 492 and 913.