The two museums of Villa Torlonia are the Casino Nobile and the Casina of the Owls (delle Civette) and are part of the System of Museums in the Municipality of Rome.

The Casino Nobile owes its appearance to the intervention, around 1802, by Giuseppe Valadier, followed, between 1835-40, by that of Giovan Battista Caretti who added the majestic pronaos of the facade.

Many painters worked on its decoration, such as Podesti and Coghetti, as well as sculptors and plasterers from the school of Thorvaldsen and Canova.

When, from 1925 to 1943, the Villa was rented to Benito Mussolini, who turned it into his private residence, a gas shelter and an anti-aircraft bunker were built in the basement, which can be visited by appointment.

The restored building houses the Museum of the Villa on the two representative floors, with period sculptures and furnishings.

On the second floor is the Museum of the Roman School, with paintings, sculptures and drawings by artists of that current, considered among the most interesting and vital of figurative research in the period between the first and second world war, also known by the name of Scuola di via Cavour.

The adjacent Casino dei Principi, where the Archives of the Roman School can be consulted, rich in documents, periodically hosts temporary exhibitions.

The Casina delle civette stands out for its originality. Conceived in 1839 by the architect Giuseppe Jappelli as a "Swiss hut", it was transformed at the beginning of the twentieth century into an eclectic villa, the residence of Prince Torlonia.

Its name is linked to the use of decorative elements inspired by the theme of the owl. The numerous polychrome stained glass windows present were largely made by Cesare Picchiarini between 1910 and 1925, based on designs by Duilio Cambellotti, Umberto Bottazzi, Vittorio Grassi and Paolo Paschetto.

Since its opening to the public in 1997, as a museum space, the original collection of the Casina has been enriched with stained glass windows by the same authors and with preparatory drawings, sketches and cartoons.

Hours

From Tuesday to Sunday 9.00-19.00
24 and 31 December 9.00-14.00
Last admission one hour before closing
Closing days
Monday, January 1st, May 1st and December 25th

Map: Museums of Villa Torlonia - Casino Nobile - Casina of the Owls

vCard Info:

Address: Via Nomentana, 70, 00161
Roma (RM) Lazio
Latitude: 41.91474488783387
Longitude: 12.511330246925354
Site: http://www.museivillatorlonia....

vCard created by: CHO.earth
Currently owned by: CHO.earth

Type: Villa
Function: Museum
Creation date: 20-09-2021 07:50
Last update: 20/09/2021