The Capitoline Museum is an ancient attraction, standing high on the Capitoline Hill, attracting 500,000 visitors yearly.
Its history is intertwined with the history of Rome itself since it is 553 years old and has the most stunning ancient artworks on display!
Visitors planning to explore the three main buildings of the museum must know about some exciting facts that make the museum so unique to Rome.
In this article, let’s discover the top 10 exciting and historical facts about the Capitoline Museum in Rome so you can make an informed visit!
The Capitoline Museum is the world’s oldest museum!
Historians believe the Capitoline Museums are the oldest museums in the world, as they stood before 1471!
No one knows the exact year of its construction, and it has dominated the City and Capitoline Hill for centuries.
The museum has expanded into new rooms and hallways over the years, but its original foundation structure still stands strong!
It is also believed to have the oldest art on display in Europe, dating back to the 1st Century AD.
Michelangelo Buonarotti designed the Museum.
Not many people know this, but the structure of the Capitoline Museums’ major galleries is based on Michelangelo’s designs!
The layout of the Palazzo dei Conservatori and Palazzo Nuovo was decided by Michelangelo Buonarotti, a world-famous architect, in 1536.
Even though these structures were constructed 400 years after their design, the credit still goes to Michelangelo.
Palazzo Senatorio was also renovated as per Michelangelo’s designs in the 12th century!
He added giant column details to the Palazzo dei Conservatori, matching its architecture to some of the other famous structures in Rome.
The New Palace of Palazzo Nuovo’s 1996 design was inspired by Michelangelo’s works, even though Carlo Aymonio designed it.
Its primary purpose was to house the collection donated by the Renaissance Popes.
The history of the Capitoline Museum begins in 1471 AD when Pope Sixtus XVI donated his massive bronze collection to the museum.
This donation also urged Popes Paul III and Pius V to begin donating to the museum, and the collection slowly grew.
They did not want to display pagan items in the Vatican Museums, so all the non-religious art was sent to the Capitoline Hill Museum.
Pope Clement XII opened the museum gates to the public in 1734, making it the first museum in the world to put up an art display!
The collection gathered from the Popes is also considered to have the most ancient historical items from Rome, and it is a must-see in the museum.
The museum is named after the ancient Temple of Capitoline Jupiter.
Most visitors presume that the museum gets its name from Capitoline Hill, but its baptism history goes much further than that.
The Capitoline Hill is among the most famous hills in Rome among seven others, as it stands at the center of Rome.
It was also a spot to construct the most ancient Roman Temples, among which stood the Temple of Capitoline Jupiter.
The museum stands over the remains of the Temple of Capitoline Jupiter, so it is famously known as the Capitoline Museum!
Some historians also believe that the museum got its name from a head found during the construction of the museum.
Since Capitol translates to “head,” this backstory is also considered to be of great value.
It houses the Capitoline Wolf, which is a symbol of Rome’s foundation.
Do you know the ancient mythological story of how Rome was formed? It all began when the twins Romulus and Remus were born.
They were the sons of the Roman God Mars and were left in a forest at birth.
These twins were found by a she-wolf, who took them in and cared for them as her children.
The massive Capitoline Wolf statue at the museum captures this mythological scene, making it a famous symbol of Rome!
Hundreds of visitors travel worldwide to see the life-like statue of Romulus and Remus as kids, whom the she-wolf is suckling.
Historians believe that the statue has been around since the 5th-century Etruscan period, but no exact year can be given for its construction.
The statue is so famous that it has more than eighty replicas all over the world, making the original a must-see on your visit!
You can see the ancient Temple of Veiovis from the Capitoline Museum’s Tabularium.
History lovers can see the marvelous remains of the ancient 1st-century Temple of Veiovis from inside the Tabularium of the museum!
It was constructed to honor the Etruscan God Veiovis and was discovered while the museum expanded in 1939.
The temple has a unique long cella, which is not seen in modern architecture, and its high podium is covered with travertine marble.
It remained safe from destruction as the temple was hidden by the structure of the Capitoline Museum all these years.
The Capitoline Museum has a unique Percy Jackson-themed tour for kids.
The Capitoline Museum is one of the major attractions in Rome among Percy Jackson fans, for the unique Percy Jackson tour experience they provide!
The tour guides are experts on the book and can tell you and your kids all the mythological backstories from the references made in the books, movies, and show.
This private tour is also great for mythology lovers who want to know more about Greek and Roman mythology.
Such a unique experience for kids cannot be found in any other museum in Rome!
It is a must-try for all visitors who want to leave their young ones with special memories of Rome.
The museum holds the biggest Greek and Roman mythological collection in Rome.
The Capitoline Museum has one of the biggest collections of sculptures and artwork based on Greek and Roman mythological stories in Rome.
Medusa’s Head by Bernini and the Capitoline Venus are the most famous mythology-based sculptures in the museum.
You can also find marvelous sculptures of Hercules, Leda and the Swan, Cupid and Psyche, Eros, Apollo holding a lyre, and much more!
We recommend taking a guided Capitoline Museum tour to discover each sculpture’s backstories that catch your eye.
It houses the remains of one of Rome’s biggest statues: The Colossal Constantine!
Rome had very few colossal statues, including the Colossal Constantine, which is now broken, but its parts are on display in the Capitoline Museum!
The original statue stood around 12 meters tall and was crafted between 313 and 324 AD.
You can see the Colossal Constantine’s head, right hand, and feet on display in the courtyard of the Palazzo dei Conservatori Musuem.
The massive size of the statue allows visitors to see all the details, like small facial lines and veins, up close.
Sculptors and artists can learn so much about the composition of the human body and replicate its perfect anatomy by observing this art piece!
Covering the Nude statues in Capitoline Museum caused criticism in 2016.
When Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visited Italian President Matteo Renzi at the Capitoline Museum in 2016, the statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius was covered with wooden panels.
Dario Franceschini, the Italian Cultural Minister 2016, criticized the museum for covering the sculpture and wanted to know their reason for doing so.
The museum claimed that the Iranian president’s office wanted the statue covered.
The Italian Government and Cultural Minister did not agree with this, as they had not received any notice from the Iranian President’s office.
After a lot of research, the publicists concluded that the nude statues were covered to show respect to the Iranian President.
Many critics began speaking against the museum, believing it could have been covered more subtly.
Because of these criticisms, the museum gained some popularity in 2016.
FAQs on Capitoline Musuem Facts
1. What is a fun fact about the Capitoline Musuem?
The Capitoline Museum became famous in 1471 as Pope Sixtus XVI donated a massive collection of bronze statues to the museum. It is also the oldest museum in the world, housing Rome’s oldest art collection.
2. How old is the Capitoline Museum?
The Capitoline Museum’s history can only be traced back to 1471, 553 years ago. There is no existing information on its actual date of construction.
3. What unique Capitoline Museum Tour can kids be a part of?
The Percy Jackson Capitoline Museum tour is the most unique experience for kids in Rome! They will discover mythological backstories of all the references made in the books. It is a perfect opportunity for children and teens to learn more about Rome!
4. Why is the Capitoline Wolf so famous?
The Capitoline Wolf is famous since it shows the legendary scene of the she-wolf suckling Remus and Romulus, the twin founders of Rome and sons of God Mars.
5. Which ancient temple can I see from the Capitoline Musuem?
You can see the ancient 1st-century AD Temple of Veiovis from the Tabularium of the Capitoline Museum Rome.
6. Where is the Colossal Constantine’s head located in Rome?
The gigantic Colossal Constantine’s head is displayed in the Palazzo dei Conservatori Museum’s Courtyard in the Capitoline Museums.
7. How did Capitoline Museum get its name?
The museum got its name from the Temple of Capitoline Jupiter, from whose remains it was constructed.
8. Who designed the Capitoline Museums?
The Capitoline Museum’s three sections of the Palazzo dei Conservatori, Palazzo Senotario, and Palazzo Nuovo were based on the 1563 designs of Michelangelo Buonarotti.
9. Which are the most famous mythological statues in the Capitoline Museum?
Bernini’s Medusa Head and the famous Capitoline Venus statue of the nude Goddess Aphrodite are the most famous mythological statues.
Featured Image: Facebook.com(MuseiCapitolini)
