Guided tour

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The Palazzo delle Finanze

The Palazzo delle Finanze was the first major complex to be built in Rome after the city became the capital of Italy. Built by order of Minister Quintino Sella, its design was to emphasise the solidity and efficiency of institutions of the newly formed Italian State; the result is the largest and most majestic complex in the capital second only to the Palazzo del Quirinale, with a perimeter of about one kilometer.

Ingrandisci l'immagineThe location and the project were chosen by Engineer Raffaele Canevari who completed the work in a mere five years (from 1871 to 1876) with the help of distinguished artists from a variety of different cultural backgrounds. The Renaissance-style quadriportico in the main courtyard is the work of Francesco Pieroni, at its centre stands the slightly elongated fountain with two straight and two semicircular sides.
Ercole Rosa and Pietro Costa were assigned the construction of the two gables of via XX September and via Cernaia; their allegorical decorations underscore the Ministry's functions and institutional roles.

Enlarge imageThe Sala della Maggioranza is at the heart of the Palazzo. It hosted the first meetings of the Council of Ministers when Rome became capital after Italy's unification. Cesare Mariani, who won the competition launched by the Public Works Ministry, was entrusted with the decoration work. The idea behind the design of the hall centres on the concept of nation, as an allegorical celebration of the unification of Italy. Four groups of figures, portraying the Savoia Family, the Commanders, Lawmakers/Politicians and Philosophers-Poets, are situated in loggias connected by a balustrade around the vault. The middle of the vault is an allegorical representation of Italy. The hall houses the original wrought-iron chandelier with golden decorations designed by Pieroni.

The Sala del Parlamentino was originally the chamber for the public hearings of the State Auditors' Court. Designed by Domenico Bruschi and Cecrope Barilli, the hall is two floors high. The caisson ceiling is decorated with floral motifs. The furnishings, designed by Canevari, consist of raised platforms on three sides, with wooden parapets behind which the seats are positioned.

Enlarge imageThe studio del Ministro holds the Writing Desk made by the much-acclaimed Master craftsmen of Biella and donated to Quintino Sella at the end of his third term as Finance Minister. The Writing Desk was then used by all successive ministers of finance, from treasury down to the current minister of economy.

The Numismatic Museum of the Mint of the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato has been located inside the Palazzo delle Finanze since 1961 and holds about 20,000 numismatic items: coins, medals, moulding objects and wax models. Coins include a copious collection of issues by Italian and foreign countries from the Middle Ages to modern times and some interesting set of trial coins. The medal collection includes three main sets of special historic and artistic value: papal medals, religious medals and medals of the nineteen hundreds.

Enlarge imageThe original architectural structure of the Palazzo has remained unaltered, in spite of work carried out to make structures and equipment more technically efficient to enable the Administration to continue to discharge its duties smoothly and efficiently in the service of