Torre dei Conti
The Torre dei Conti , also known as Tor de'Conti for short , is the remnant of a medieval tower in Rome , near the Colosseum , which was built in 1203 under the pontificate of Innocent III. by Riccardo di Segni for the Conti family , Counts of Segni .
The tower is one of the impressive family towers that, like in other Italian cities, shaped medieval Rome. The mighty fortification rose on the border to the territory of the competing Frangipani family .
In the past it was also known as Torre Maggiore because of its size. Petrarch praised him as unique in Rome and in the whole world. Originally, its size must have been 50 to 60 meters, compared to the current 29 meters. It is located at Largo Corrado Ricci in the area of the Imperial Forums . The tower was built over one of the exedra of the portico of the Templum Pacis . It was clad with travertine , which was taken from the imperial forums . This cladding was removed in the 16th century and used for the construction of the Porta Pia on Via Nomentana , which Pope Pius IV had built based on a design by Michelangelo .
The building was damaged in various earthquakes. In particular after that of 1348, the tower became uninhabitable and subsequently abandoned. Several collapses occurred during the 16th century. It was not restored until 1620, but was damaged again by earthquakes in 1630 and 1644. Popes Urban VIII and Alexander VIII had it rebuilt and reinforced with efforts by the end of the 17th century.
With the construction of Via Cavour at the end of the 19th century and Via dei Fori Imperiali under Benito Mussolini , the tower remained as an isolated building on the edge of the excavation areas of the forums.
Coordinates: 41 ° 53 ′ 37 " N , 12 ° 29 ′ 16.5" E
literature
- Anton Henze u. a .: Art guide Rome. 5., rework. Edition. Reclam, Stuttgart 1994, ISBN 3-15-010402-5 , p. 306.
- Theodor Gsell-Fels: Rome and the Campagna. 7th edition. Bibliogr. Institute, Leipzig 1912, S. CCX and DCCXIX.
- Christopher Hibbert: Rome - Biography of a City . Munich 1987, ISBN 3-40631881-9 .
- Mauro Quercoli: Le Torri di Roma. Newton Compton Editori, Rome 2006, ISBN 88-541-0599-6 .