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Coordinates: 41°53′37″N 12°29′17″E / 41.89361°N 12.48806°E / 41.89361; 12.48806
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[[Image:0209tordeiconti.gif|thumbnail|The remaining lower portion of the Torre dei Conti]]
{{infobox ancient site
|name=Torre dei Conti
|image=Torre de' Conti.jpg
|caption=The remaining lower portion of the Torre dei Conti.
|coordinates={{Coord|41|53|37|N|12|29|17|E|region:IT-RM_type:landmark_source:kolossus-dewiki|display=it}}
|image_size=270
|mapframe-frame-width=270
|mapframe=yes
|mapframe-caption=Click on the map for a fullscreen view
|mapframe-zoom=12
|mapframe-marker=monument
|mapframe-wikidata=yes
}}
The '''Torre dei Conti''' is a medieval fortified [[tower]] in [[Rome]], [[Italy]], located near the [[Colosseum]] and the [[Roman Forum]]. The tower was one of the most impressive towers that dominated medieval Rome.


==History==
The '''Torre dei Conti''' is a medieval [[tower]] in [[Rome]], [[Italy]], located near the [[Colosseum]] and the [[Roman Forum]].
It was built in 1238 by Richard Conti, brother of [[Pope Innocent III]] as a fortified residence for his family, the [[Conti di Segni]], over one of the [[exedra]] of the [[portico]] of the four apses of the [[Imperial fora#Temple of Peace|Imperial fora (The Temple of Peace)]] near the [[Forum of Nerva]]. The tower stood on the border of the territory of the rival family of the [[Frangipani family|Frangipani]].
Currently standing at {{convert|29|m|ft}}, it was once 50–60 m tall, and gained the nickname of ''Torre Maggiore'' (Major Tower) for its size. Originally covered in [[travertine]] salvaged from the ruins of the Imperial Fora, this covering was in turn stripped for use in the construction of the [[Porta Pia]] in the 16th century, designed by [[Michelangelo]].


The upper floors were destroyed by a series of earthquakes culminating in the [[earthquake of 1348]], after which it was abandoned until 1620, when it was rebuilt by the [[Papal Chamber]]. Other earthquakes in 1630 and 1644 caused damage which was repaired at the end of the 17th century by [[Pope Alexander VIII]], who added two buttresses.
It was built in [[1238]] by [[Pope Innocent III]] as a fortified residence for his family, the Conti di [[Segni]], over one of the four apses of the [[Forum of Nerva]]'s portico. Currently standing at 29 m, it was once 50-60 m tall, and gained the nickname of ''Torre Maggiore'' (Major Tower) for its size. The upper floors were destroyed by a series of earthquakes. It was abandoned starting until 1620, when it was rebuilt by the Papal Chamber.


[[Image:Tor_dei_Conti.jpg|thumb|Torre dei Conti seen from Largo Corrado Ricci]]
<!--{{coord|41|53|37|12|29|16.5|source:dewiki_type:landmark_dim:20_region:IT-RM|display=title}}-->
With the opening of the [[Via Cavour, Rome|Via Cavour]] in the 19th century and the [[Via dei Fori Imperiali]] in the early 20th century, the tower was left isolated from other buildings. In 1937, the tower was donated by [[Benito Mussolini]] to the [[Arditi]] (Italian stormtroopers), which retained ownership until 1943. The tower contains the mausoleum of General Alessandro Parisi, whose remains are preserved in an ancient Roman [[sarcophagus]]. Parisi, who died in an automobile accident in 1938, was the leader of the Arditi.


==See also==
{{coord|41|53|37|N|12|29|17|E|region:IT-RM_type:landmark_source:kolossus-dewiki|display=title}}
*[[Torre delle Milizie]]


==Sources==
{{DEFAULTSORT:Torre Dei Conti}}
*{{cite book|first=Anna Maria |last=Cusanno|title=Il restauro e l'isolamento della Torre dei Conti in Gli anni del Governatorato (1926-1944)|pages=125–130 |location=Rome|publisher=Edizioni Kappa|year=1995|isbn=88-7890-181-4}}
[[Category:13th-century architecture]]
*{{cite book|first=Ferdinand |last= Gregorovius |title= History of the City of Rome in the Middle Ages|pages=667 |location=UK|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=2010|orig-year=First published 1854|isbn=1108015069 }}
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Rome]]


==External links==
[[de:Torre dei Conti]]
*{{cite book |first=M. |last=Lucentini |title=The Rome Guide: Step by Step through History's Greatest City|date=31 December 2012 |isbn=9781623710088 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=laMDAQAAQBAJ}}
[[it:Torre dei Conti]]

{{commons-inline}}
{{Sequence
| prev = [[Column of the Immaculate Conception, Rome]]
| list = Landmarks of Rome
| curr = Torre dei Conti
| next = [[Ospedale di Santo Spirito in Sassia]]
}}
<!-- "Ospedale di Santo Spirito in Sassia" as the next landmark and "Column of the Immaculate Conception, Rome" as the previous one are taken from the navbox "Landmarks of Rome" that is placed below. A navbox is invisible in mobile view. The addition enables mobile users to click at least the next landmark or the previous one. -->
{{Monuments of Rome}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Torre Dei Conti}}
[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1237]]
[[Category:Towers completed in the 13th century]]
[[Category:Towers in Rome|Conti]]
[[Category:Rome R. I Monti]]

Latest revision as of 20:12, 18 January 2024

Torre dei Conti
The remaining lower portion of the Torre dei Conti.
Map
Click on the map for a fullscreen view
Coordinates41°53′37″N 12°29′17″E / 41.89361°N 12.48806°E / 41.89361; 12.48806

The Torre dei Conti is a medieval fortified tower in Rome, Italy, located near the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. The tower was one of the most impressive towers that dominated medieval Rome.

History

[edit]

It was built in 1238 by Richard Conti, brother of Pope Innocent III as a fortified residence for his family, the Conti di Segni, over one of the exedra of the portico of the four apses of the Imperial fora (The Temple of Peace) near the Forum of Nerva. The tower stood on the border of the territory of the rival family of the Frangipani. Currently standing at 29 metres (95 ft), it was once 50–60 m tall, and gained the nickname of Torre Maggiore (Major Tower) for its size. Originally covered in travertine salvaged from the ruins of the Imperial Fora, this covering was in turn stripped for use in the construction of the Porta Pia in the 16th century, designed by Michelangelo.

The upper floors were destroyed by a series of earthquakes culminating in the earthquake of 1348, after which it was abandoned until 1620, when it was rebuilt by the Papal Chamber. Other earthquakes in 1630 and 1644 caused damage which was repaired at the end of the 17th century by Pope Alexander VIII, who added two buttresses.

Torre dei Conti seen from Largo Corrado Ricci

With the opening of the Via Cavour in the 19th century and the Via dei Fori Imperiali in the early 20th century, the tower was left isolated from other buildings. In 1937, the tower was donated by Benito Mussolini to the Arditi (Italian stormtroopers), which retained ownership until 1943. The tower contains the mausoleum of General Alessandro Parisi, whose remains are preserved in an ancient Roman sarcophagus. Parisi, who died in an automobile accident in 1938, was the leader of the Arditi.

See also

[edit]

Sources

[edit]
  • Cusanno, Anna Maria (1995). Il restauro e l'isolamento della Torre dei Conti in Gli anni del Governatorato (1926-1944). Rome: Edizioni Kappa. pp. 125–130. ISBN 88-7890-181-4.
  • Gregorovius, Ferdinand (2010) [First published 1854]. History of the City of Rome in the Middle Ages. UK: Cambridge University Press. p. 667. ISBN 1108015069.
[edit]

Media related to Tor dei Conti at Wikimedia Commons

Preceded by
Column of the Immaculate Conception, Rome
Landmarks of Rome
Torre dei Conti
Succeeded by
Ospedale di Santo Spirito in Sassia