Chigi Palace

The Chigi Palace (Italian: Palazzo Chigi [paˈlattso ˈkiːdʒi]) is a palace and former noble residence in Rome which is the seat of the Council of Ministers and the official residence of the prime minister of Italy. It is located in the Piazza Colonna, next to Palazzo Montecitorio, seat of the Chamber of Deputies.

Since 22 October 2022, the tenant of the Chigi Palace has been Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

History

The architectural history of Chigi Palace spans more than three centuries during which several projects and continuous adaptations to the ever-changing needs of the palace have followed. The palace, overlooking the Piazza Colonna and the Via del Corso, was begun in 1562 by Giacomo della Porta. On 28 January 1578, the consistorial lawyer Pietro Aldobrandini, brother of the future Pope Clement VIII, purchased a house on Via del Corso. The architect Matteo Bartolini from Città di Castello was entrusted with the project. Aldobrandini already owned a property along the road that borders the so-called "Colonna island", connecting via del Corso with Montecitorio, he intended to unite the two properties. At the death of Pietro Aldobrandini, his son sold the properties to Paolo Fossano, who continued the work on the side of Via del Corso.¹

In 1616, cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini, nephew of Clement VIII, repurchased the family home, resuming construction and incorporating various houses adjacent to the wing facing the future square. In 1659 it was purchased by the House of Chigi, a rich family of bankers from Siena.² It was then remodelled by Felice della Greca and . It has five floors, a broad stairway that leads to the living rooms, and a courtyard decorated with a fountain, designed by Giacomo della Porta. The fountain has been copied in many sites in Rome and other Italian cities.