Have you ever visited the Coppedè district in Rome?
Today, I want to take you on a tour of Italy’s Capital to .discover an area suspended between a dream and mystery. The Coppedè district takes its name from the architect who designed it, Gino Coppedè. He has left his architectural signature on eighteen buildings here and also another twenty-seven private buildings in the Trieste district.
In fact, his style was so authoritative, that today this entire urban area is referred to as the “Coppedè district”. Undoubtedly this is only one of the countless wonders of Rome, but its originality and unprecedented mystical touch make it very special.
In the 1920s, after many arguments with the technical offices and the planning regulations of the capital, the Florentine, Gino Coppedè designed a series of buildings that mixed several architectural styles together, often the styles were very different.
The work of Gino Coppedè has been categorized as “neo-eclectic”, as it was influenced by both the Medieval and Renaissance period. When you walk into this neighborhood, especially when entering from under the arch of via Tagliamento, you feel you’re entering a fantasy world, inhabited by strange creatures inspired by reality. Just the facade alone, of via Tagliamento proclaims the mood and atmosphere of the entire district.
By day, it’s a symbol of bourgeois Rome, by night it becomes esoteric, giving up its spaces to mysterious tales. In fact, in 1965 the Beatles, after having performed at Piper (a disco not far from the neighborhood), dived into the Fontana delle Rane, the eclectic fountain located in the center of Piazza Mincio.
On the facade of the Palazzo del Ragno, my favorite building among those in this district, is the inscription “artis praecepta recentis – maiorum exempla ostendo”, which in English means “I represent the perception of modern art through the example of the ancients”, which can now be considered the symbolic phrase of the architect Coppedè.
An esoteric place, which naturally was chosen as the location for the shooting of some of Dario Argento’s movie masterpieces. This feeling of living in a mysterious place never leaves you as you stroll around, gasing up constantly to admire the architecture in this area around Via Tagliamento, Via Arno, Via Adige and Corso Trieste.
The Villino delle Fate is perhaps the most varied architectural experiment of the whole district. Here the Medieval towers and the Baroque inserts are set in harmony with the Liberty and Decò elements. The painted facades are a tribute to the three Italian cities: Rome, Florence and Venice.
Coppedè is now remembered as the dreamer from the end of the last century as unfortunately he did not manage to complete all his projects for the district. He died when he was only 50 years old, due to complications after an operation.
I can recommend a walk in the Coppedè district at sunset, to experience the transition of light from day to the soft darkness of night and fully experience the mysterious, fairytale aspect of one of the lesser known pearls of Rome.
2 Comments
Are there any walking tours ? This jan.?
Hello dear! Unfortunately I don’t manage this kind of tour. Sorry!