History

The palace’s name carries uncertain etymology. Some scholars propose that electoral assemblies convened here during Roman times, yielding “mons citatorius.” Others suggest the name derives from materials deposited during the reclamation of the nearby Campo Marzio, termed “mons acceptorius.” The current structure replaced an earlier settlement of modest dwellings.

Pope Innocent X commissioned Gian Lorenzo Bernini to design a grand residence intended for the Ludovisi family. When the pope died in 1655, funding ceased and construction stalled for more than three decades. Work resumed under Pope Innocent XII, who redirected the building’s purpose from a private palace toward public use—first as a poorhouse, then as the seat of the Apostolic Curia, housing the pontifical tribunals.

After Bernini’s death, architect Carlo Fontana inherited the project and substantially reworked his predecessor’s design. Fontana preserved Bernini’s distinctive convex façade while introducing an airy bell gable. Budget constraints forced the abandonment of plans for a unified grand square combining the current Piazza Colonna and Piazza Montecitorio. The Innocent Curia was inaugurated in 1696 with the activation of the elaborate fountain in the semicircular courtyard.