Palazzo Spada

Map
Palazzo Spada, Rome
Palazzo Spada
The Palazzo Spada was built for Cardinal Girolamo Capodiferro (1502-59). The palazzo was acquired in the 17th century by Cardinal Bernardino Spada. 
A detail of the 16th century facade of Palazzo Spada, Rome
A Detail of the Facade
The ornate façade, which was completed in 1550, on the occasion of the Jubilee, is the product of the workshops of Giulio Mazzoni & Diego di Fiandra and Tommaso del Bosco & Leonardo Sormani. The statues in the niches depict eight ancient Roman figures: Trajan, Pompey the Great, Fabius Maximus, Numa Pompilius, Marcus Claudius Marcellus, Julius Caesar and Augustus.

​The inscriptions at the top of the facade proclaim the achievements of each man:
  • Trajan: INVICTAE VIRTVTIS IMPERATOR OPTIMI COGNOMEN PROMERVIT (An emperor of great valour, who deserved the title of the 'Best'). 
  • Pompey the Great: MAGNO FORTVNAE LVDIBRIO VBIQVE VICTOR INDIGNO VITAE EXITV SEPVLTVRA CARVIT (Though everywhere victorius, by a great jest of fate, in a departure worthy of his life, wanted for burial).
  • Fabius Maximus: INVETERATAE PRVDENTIAE DVX CVNCTANDO RESTITVIT EM (A commander of deep wisdom, by delaying restored the state). 
  • Romulus: AETERNAE VRBIS FVNDAMENTA IECIT MILITAREM DISCI PLINAM DOMI INISTITVIT QVA IMPERIVM FELI CITER CRESCERET (He laid the foundations of the Eternal City and instituted domestic military training whereby her sovereignty might increase). 
  • Numa: MARTIVM POPVLVM RELIGIONI ADDIXIT VT PACE ET BELLO INVICTV EAERET (He bound over to religion a martial race, that in both peace and war it might remain invincible). 
  • Marcus Marcellus: BELLATOR ACERRIMVS OPIMA SPOLIA IOVI FERETRIO POSVIT (Keenest of warriors, he dedicated the 'Spolia Opima' to Jupiter Feretrius). 
  • Julius Caesar: VNIVERSVM TERRARVM ORBEM HOSTILI CRVORE REPLEVIT SVO DEMVM SANGVINE CVRIAM INVNDAVIT (He filled the whole world with the blood of his enemies and ended by flooding the Curia with his own blood). 
  • Augustus: IANO CLAVSO FINEM CIVILIBVS ET EXTERNIS BELLIS IM POSVIT (By closing the temple of Janus, he signified he had brought to an end wars both at home and abroad). ​
Emblem and motto of Cardinal Capodiferro, facade of Palazzo Spada, Rome
Emblem and motto of Cardinal Capodiferro
Each statue is surmounted by the emblem of Cardinal Capodiferro, namely a dog standing next to a flaming column, with the motto VTROQ[UE] TEMPORE (at any time), a sign of loyalty to his faith.  The elaborate coat of arms above the entrance belongs to the Spada family. The courtyard, the work of the same workshops, is as richly decorated as the facade. 

The Palazzo Spada is famous for its colonnade in forced perspective, the work of the architect Francesco Borromini (1599-1667).

The Palazzo Spada is home to the Galleria Spada, a small collection of 16th and 17th century paintings, which is open to the public. ​