The Palazzo Saporiti, also known as Palazzo Rocca-Saporiti, is a historic Neoclassical mansion in the centre of the north Italian city of

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...

History

The mansion was commissioned in 1800 by Gaetano Belloni who managed the gaming room at

La Scala La Scala (, , ; abbreviation in Italian of the official name ) is a famous opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the ' (New Royal-Ducal Theatre alla Scala). The premiere performan ...

. However, as a result of the prohibition of gambling in the Napoleonic era, he was forced to sell the residence to the Marquis Rocca Saporiti from Genoa. The mansion was built as part of a redevelopment project in the vicinity of the

Porta Orientale Porta can refer to: People * Porta (rapper) (born 1988), stagename of Christian Jiménez Bundo, a Spanish rap singer * Bernardo Porta (1758–1829), Italian composer active in France * Bianca Della Porta (born 1991), Canadian ice hockey and rugby ...

on land which had belonged to the

Capuchin Friars The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (; postnominal abbr. O.F.M. Cap.) is a religious order of Franciscan friars within the Catholic Church, one of Three " First Orders" that reformed from the Franciscan Friars Minor Observant (OFM Obs., now OFM) ...

until their order was dissolved by the Austrian administration."Palazzo Rocca Saporti"
''Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano''. Retrieved 13 September 2012. Completed in 1812, the project was said to have been designed by Innocenzo Giusti but it was in fact the work of Giovanni Perego, the Scala's famous scenographer, who was not officially entitled to handle the commission as he was not a professional architect. The building currently houses a Swiss bank.

Description

The building's Neoclassical style is clearly inspired by

Andrea Palladio Andrea Palladio ( ; ; 30 November 1508 – 19 August 1580) was an Italian Renaissance architect active in the Venetian Republic. Palladio, influenced by Roman and Greek architecture, primarily Vitruvius, is widely considered to be one of th ...

. The predominant feature of the facade is the Ionic colonnade with its spectacular

portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cult ...

from which processions through the street below could be viewed. The ground floor has a

bugnato Two different styles of rustication in the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi in Florence; smooth-faced above and rough-faced below.">Florence.html" ;"title="Palazzo Medici-Riccardi in Florence">Palazzo Medici-Riccardi in Florence; smooth-faced above and r ...

finish while the main entrance is surmounted by a heraldic elephant. Between the first and second floors, a frieze depicts episodes from the history of Milan. Crowning the attic, there is a

balustrade A baluster is an upright support, often a vertical moulded shaft, square, or lathe-turned form found in stairways, parapets, and other architectural features. In furniture construction it is known as a spindle. Common materials used in its con ...

with six statues depicting the Dii Consentes sculpted by

Pompeo Marchesi Pompeo Marchesi (; 7 August 1783, in Saltrio, near Milan – 6 February 1858, in Milan) was a Lombard sculptor of the neoclassical school. Biography He first studied at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts in Milan. In 1804 he won a scholarship ...

and

Grazioso Rusca Grazioso Rusca (1757 – 18 June 1829) was a Swiss sculptor who was also active in northern Italy. Biography Originally from Rancate in the Swiss canton of Ticino, he was trained as a stonemason by architects including Simone Cantoni. He worked ...

.Micaela Pisaroni, ''Il neoclassicismo - Itinerari di Milano e Provincia'', 1999, Como, NodoLibri, p. 35. (Italian)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saporiti, Palazzo Houses completed in 1812 Neoclassical architecture in Milan Palaces in Milan Tourist attractions in Milan

History

Description

See also

References