Palazzo della Farnesina, completed in 1937 in Rome, was designed by architects Enrico Del Debbio, Arnaldo Foschini, and Vittorio Ballio Morpurgo. Located between Monte Mario and the Tiber River within the Foro Italico complex, the building serves as the seat of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The palazzo forms part of the broader Foro Italico sports and civic complex, which Del Debbio developed following his 1927 commission. The architectural language reflects the rationalist sensibilities of 1930s Roman public architecture. The building’s name derives from the Farnese family, a reference embedded in Rome’s monumental geography.
About Enrico Del Debbio
Enrico Del Debbio (1891–1973) was born in Carrara and trained at the local Fine Art Academy before moving to Rome in 1914, where he quickly established himself as a prominent architect and educator. He taught at the Scuola Superiore di Architettura and won several architectural commissions during the 1920s and 1930s, including the 1923 FIAT palace in Via Calabria and the Stadio dei Marmi (1928).
Details
- Architects: Enrico Del Debbio, Arnaldo Foschini, Vittorio Ballio Morpurgo
- Completed: 1937
- Location: Foro Italico complex, Rome
- Current use: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Italian Republic
Frequently asked questions
Who designed Palazzo della Farnesina?
The building was designed by three architects: Enrico Del Debbio, Arnaldo Foschini, and Vittorio Ballio Morpurgo. Del Debbio was commissioned in 1927 to develop the Foro Italico complex, of which the palazzo forms a part.
Where is Palazzo della Farnesina located?
The building sits in Rome between Monte Mario and the Tiber River, within the Foro Italico complex. It is the current seat of Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
What is the building’s current purpose?
Palazzo della Farnesina houses the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the name is often used metonymically to refer to the ministry itself.
