The Palace of Justice is located in one of the most prestigious districts of Rome — Prati, not far from Castel Sant'Angelo and St. Peter's Basilica. Even before it was built, there were many judicial buildings here, but this one became perhaps the most controversial from an architectural point of view. The number of “decorative embellishments” on it is simply off the charts, which is why locals call it “Palazzaccio,” which translates as “Ugly Palace.”
Its architect Guglielmo Calderini did not actually plan such a flamboyant building. In his designs, the palace looks more modest. But during the construction from 1888 to 1910, new halls had to be added, then a huge quadriga appeared on the roof, and as a result the entire palazzo ended up in the Neo-Baroque style.
Flickr, PierreG_09
The Romans' negative attitude toward the Palace of Justice was also caused by the fact that during its construction, which lasted 12 (!) years, there were quite a few corruption scandals. And this despite the fact that they were building not some casino, but the Palace of Justice — a place where everything should be crystal clear from the point of view of the law.
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Despite all the twists and turns, the building turned out majestic. In front of the main entrance, 10 statues have been installed — these are figures of famous Italian jurists from different eras. One of the facades is decorated with the bronze coat of arms of the House of Savoy. And the interior walls of the Grand Hall of the palazzo, where Supreme Court sessions are held, are covered with frescoes.
The Palace of Justice is included in one of the walking routes around Rome compiled by Ever.Travel for those traveling to Italy for the first time. In addition, you can take a look at several more options for self-guided tours:
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Routes and guides for Rome:
- Guide to Rome
- What to See in Rome in One Day
- First Self-Guided Route in Rome: Vatican and the Vatican Museums
- Second Self-Guided Route in Rome: Castel Sant'Angelo – Piazza Navona - Pantheon - Trevi Fountain
- Third Self-Guided Route in Rome: Colosseum — Roman Forums — Piazza Venezia — Trajan's Column — Imperial Forums
- Fourth Self-Guided Route in Rome: Trastevere district
- Night Walk in Rome
- All guides and routes for Rome
