The Capitoline Museums Private Tour

The first public museum ever opened (1471), the Musei Capitolini houses a vast collection of Roman, medieval and Renaissance art. The museums embody the splendor of the Roman monarchy, republic and empire since its foundation in 753 BC. History and mythology intertwine as you walk past statues of emperors and gods. For example, the bronze Capitoline Wolf represents the legendary birth of Remus and Romulus, founders of the city.
Bernini's Bust of Medusa, works by Caravaggio and the right hand and foot from the colossal statue of Constantine are popular favorites as well as the equestrian statue of Emperor Aurelius, watching over Michelangelo's Piazza del Campidoglio. This hilltop square is surely one of Rome's most famous landmarks. According to legend, a flock of geese once called for help here during a nighttime barbarian attack, thus saving the city from being conquered! Piazza del Campidoglio is ideal for a stroll and to gaze over the ruins of central Rome.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Musei Capitolini, Piazza del Campidoglio 1, 00186 Rome Italy

In the Piazza del Campidoglio are located the two buildings of the museums: the Palazzo dei Conservatori and the Palazzo Nuovo. Both mansions are linked by the Galleria Lapidaria, a tunnel that takes you under Piazza del Campidoglio without having to leave the museums. well-known people of that time and other art work by renowned artists like Caravaggio, Tiziano, Rubens and Tintoretto. Some of these are Roman replicas of Greek originals. Among the museum’s greatest works is the Capitoline Venus, a marble sculpture designed between 100 and 150 AD. Other famous works of art include the Discobolus and the statue of Dying Gaul.



Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Piazza del Campidoglio, Rome Italy

The Piazza del Campidoglio was laid down on the summit of the Capitoline Hill, the most important of Rome's seven hills. It is the first modern square to be designed in Rome. The piazza came about because Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, organized a visit to Rome in 1536. Pope Paul III was so dismayed by the state of the sodden Capitoline Hill that he commissioned Michelangelo to design a square. Michelangelo wanted the square to face St Peter's Basilica, the political center of Rome, instead of the Roman Forum. An imposing bronze equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius was erected in the center of the square. The execution of the plans took so long that Michelangelo didn’t live to see his work completed. Nevertheless, his designs were followed meticulously and finished several centuries later.

Duration: 30 minutes