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The Capitol In 1535 Michelangelo was made Supreme architect, sculptor and painter of the Apostolic Palace, being attached to the Papal household. His next project was the remodeling of the Capitol and of the surrounding buildings on the Capitoline hill, the civic and political centre of Rome. He remodeled two of the palaces, notably the Palazzo dei Conservatori and designed the staircase leading to the top of the hill. The piazza itself is characterised by an oval shape, with a series of lines on the floor made with stripes that lead to the centre. Here he placed the equestrian statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, one of the few remaining examples of ancient Roman bronzes. A flight of steps leads to the Piazza del Campidoglio (Ancient Rome's Capitol, at the top of the Capitoline Hill). At the very top of the staircase, to right and left, the ancient (Imperial age, rediscovered in the XVI century) statues of the Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux) holding their horses were placed. The piazza is also home to the Trophies of Marius, celebrating the Domitian's victories over the Germanic tribes and two of Via Appia's Milestones (mile 1 and mile 7). For an illustration of the Capitol, please click here. |