It isfrom a large arch joining two palazzi that leads to this unknown corner of Rome. It is the Coppedè Quarter, which, more than a quarter, is a great artistic experiment blending Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Gothic and medieval styles.
The Coppedè quarter is a complex of 26 buildings and 17 small villas and is located between the Salaria and the Nomentana and was built between 1913 and 1926by Gino Coppedè. It is one of the unusual corners you absolutely must visit in the city and in this article we explain why.
Photo:© Alessandro Romagnoli/Shutterstock
Coppedè district
An imposing arch will let you know that you have arrived in the district named after the architect who designed it. The arch, which has a large wrought-iron chandelier under the inner vault, joins the Ambasciatori Palace.
Once you cross the threshold you will find yourself in a surreal, silent and magical place made up of buildings decorated in the strangest shapes and sizes.
The Coppedè Quarter dates back to the early 1900s and is a housing complex that breaks the mould of rationalist architecture of those years but stands out as an Art Nouveau experiment. The district was born when in 1915 the Società Anonima Edilizia Moderna commissioned a new living area in Rome, adjacent to Piazza Quadrata and close to the Salario and Trieste districts.
The project was entrusted to architect Gino Coppedè. The work plan initially included the construction of 18 palazzi and 27 buildings between palazzine and villini. On 23 August 1917, the building commission made a request to Coppedè to give the district a Roman feel. Thus Coppedè used the theme of ancient Rome such as the cornices and mouldings of Imperial Rome and an archway recalling the triumphal arches of the Roman Forum.
Walking around Coppedè, you will realise that each palace is rich in details, decorations that tell a story. If you are visiting Rome, you absolutely must visit the Coppedè Quarter, and if you are looking for a place to stay, check out Rome Hotels for a great selection of hotels that will allow you to fully experience the wonders of this hidden gem in Rome.
Like the decorations of the Villinidelle Fate, where you can find numerous paintings of women on the walls and where the beauty of Florence is extolled, with the words Fiorenza sei bella (Florence is beautiful). You will also notice the figures of Dante and Petrarch.
The palaces are located around Piazza Mincio where the imposing Fountain of the Frogs stands, where the Beatles bathed after one of their concerts at the Piper in 1965.
A huge arachnid on a doorway will point you to what is known as the Spider Palace. On the small balcony on the third level, a painting of a knight between two griffins stands out. The advice is to wander in search of the wonders you can find while strolling along Via Obrona, Via Brenta and Via Olona.
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Photo: © Andrea Izzotti/Shutterstock
Films set in Coppedè
The surreal dimension of the district has inspired many directors to use it as a location for their films. Like Dario Argento who shot two of his most famous films here, Inferno and L'uccello dalle piume di cristallo, or like Francesco Barilli's Il profumo della signora in nero, Nando Cicero 's Ultimo tango a Zagarolo and Nanni Loy 's Audace colpo dei soliti ignoti with Vittorio Gassman.