Monuments of Rome - Palazzo Venezia

Venice Palace forms the western side of the square. It was the first Renaissance palace built in Rome in 1455 for the Venetian Cardinal Pietro Barbo, who later became Pope Paul II. The design is attributed to Leon Battista Alberti.

The palace has the characteristics of a fortress on the upper floor the elegant and refined cross-ribbed windows show Renaissance elements.
The portal, attributed to Giovanni Dalmata, bears the seal of the Barbo family. Splendid is the inner courtyard whose order of the columns, Tuscanic on the first floor and Ionic and Corinthian on the second, recalls the arches of the Colosseum.
Inside, the Sala Regia has traces of paintings by Donato Bramante and the Sala del Mappamondo is decorated with classical perspectives by Andrea Mantegna . The palace was ceded to the Venetian Republic in 1564 as the seat of ambassadors. After the Treaty of Campoformio it passed to Austria for its embassy, and in 1916 the palace was claimed by Italy.

It owes its fame to the fact that it was here that Mussolini set up his headquarters, occupying the immense world map hall and launching his speeches to the masses from the small balcony on the second floor.
Passing by night through the deserted Piazza Veneziaa window with a perpetually lit light could be seen: a sign that the fascist government never rested. And as long as that light was there to watch over the night, Italians could sleep soundly. He was there to protect everyone... Today the Palazzo is home to the Museo del Venice Palace, rich in varied collections, tapestries, marbles, weapons, silver, ceramics, and the very important Library of the Institute of Archaeology and Art History .