Giardini di Palazzo Venezia — Local services in Rome

The gardens of Palazzo Venezia are a quiet corner of history in the heart of Rome. Built in 1455 by Cardinal Pietro Barbo, who became Pope Paul II, the Palazzo was one of the first Renaissance buildings in the city. Designed by Francesco del Borgo, it marked a shift from medieval fortifications to the harmony and balance of the Renaissance. The Palazzo served as a papal residence and later housed the Venetian embassy, from which it takes its name. It witnessed critical moments in history, from Renaissance diplomacy to Mussolini’s speeches from its iconic balcony in the 20th century. Today, it houses a museum, but its gardens remain an often-overlooked treasure. Surrounded by arcades and dotted with classical statues, the gardens feature a central fountain and carefully maintained greenery. Once a retreat for cardinals and diplomats, they now offer a glimpse of Renaissance aesthetics and design. If you visit, take a moment to sit by the fountain—it’s not just a garden but a space shaped by centuries of history, quietly preserved in the middle of the city. This place is an incredible hidden and quite spot to relax and escape from the noisy...

It is an oasis of peace in the heart of the city, dominated by perfection and harmony, but also the fulcrum of the palace that Cardinal Pietro Barbo, the future Pope Paul II, had built in the second half of the fifteenth century and which still remains today a majestic example of Renaissance architecture.

From the fifteenth-century courtyard, transformed into a garden during the nineteenth century, some key elements of the palace can be admired. The eastern side of the courtyard is closed by the side of the medieval Basilica of San Marco, with its Romanesque bell tower. The north-eastern side is occupied by a portico on two orders, perhaps built by Marco Barbo, nephew of Paul II, upon the death of his uncle. The construction has a clear classical matrix: the most obvious source of inspiration is the Colosseum. However, the paternity remains uncertain, there are those who think of a direct involvement of Leon Battista Alberti and those who believe it is more likely that its architect was...

An oasis in the center of the city, with palm trees, and peace and quiet. It was first created as the Venetian Pope's (Paul II, Pietro Barbo) residence in the second half of the 15th century. Later serving as the embassy of Venice from the mid 16th century until 1797, at the end of the Republic of Venice, when it was passed on to Austria for their own embassy. Benito Mussolini chose this location as his seat of the government, from 1929-43, and stood at the balcony, facing the street, to deliver his speeches and rallies. Post-war, it changed its purpose and identity, to serve as a place for the arts. A six million euros investment, in 2016, transformed the former employee's parking lot (courtyard) into a gorgeous garden oasis, open to all. Providing peace and quiet, away from the hustle and bustle of the...