Pichi - Manfroni - Lovatti Palace

in alley dei Bovari - Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 154 -  via del Paradiso 4, Rome

Historical evocations, artistic treasures, and the splendor of different eras surround Manfroni Lovatti Palace, just steps from Piazza Navona, in a sort of unique aura. This palace's fascinating past reflects the transformations of Rome during the reign of Umberto I, when the need to celebrate the new capital of unified Italy led to the redesign of the city center. The building's original layout, attributed to Leon Battista Alberti and by others to Pietro Rosselli, dates back to the late 15th century, when Girolamo Pichi, Master of the Roads, commissioned a sumptuous palace on the block between Vicolo dei Bovari, Via del Paradiso, Via de' Baullari, and Via di S. Pantaleo, almost opposite the Massimo family's property.
In the 17th century the palace passed to the Manfroni family, who still owned it in the 18th century; in the following century it was left to the charitable organization Pia Casa degli orfani di Santa Maria in Aquiro, from which it was purchased on 25 January 1862 by Filippo Lovatti (1822-1893), son of Matteo Lovatti (1770-1849), and then sold to the Banca Romana, after about fifteen years.
In 1881, due to construction work on Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, the main façade was demolished and rebuilt further back by engineer Ciriaco Baschieri Salvatori in the Neo-Renaissance style we admire today. The Lovatti coat of arms, located above the main entrance, was thus destroyed. The large portal, which opens onto a stately entrance, is striking. The symmetrical façade, punctuated by arched windows with architraves, is pleasing in its rigorous simplicity. The entrance features a frescoed vaulted ceiling. The attic features a double living room, embellished with a coffered ceiling and an antique stone fireplace. The living area continues with the dining room and the adjacent, spacious kitchen, while the sleeping area consists of four bedrooms with balconies offering a picturesque view of the rooftops of the historic center. Three bathrooms are furnished in fine marble.
The terrace above, connected to the penthouse by an internal staircase, is highly enjoyable and offers a magnificent view of the historic center. The view extends from the magnificent dome of Sant'Andrea della Valle in the foreground to the Quirinale Tower and the dome of the Pantheon, just beyond. The 60 square meter terrace offers a true outdoor living room, enhanced by Rome's renowned mild climate.

Tradition attributes it to Leon Battista Alberti, and this is his only work in Rome, but Professor Tornaletti argued in a monograph that Alberti was already dead by the time this palace was built. However, it may have been built later based on his designs. With the opening of Corso Vittorio Emanuele, the rear section was demolished and the façade, facing Palazzo Massimo, was rebuilt with a design similar to the original, but with variations. The original part of the palace faces the narrow Vicolo dei Bovari; some pillars, a corner base, and a ground-floor window can still be seen. On the frieze of the arched windows on the first floor, on the façade overlooking Vicolo dei Bovari, is the inscription: "Hieronimus picus", indicating that the palace was once owned by the famous Pichi merchant family, who owned several houses in Rome. Their coat of arms is also visible.

Lovatti family - historical notes

Maurilio Lovatti - main index of online papers

e-mail:  maurilio@lovatti.eu