Piazza del Campidoglio in Rome

Its location on Capitol Hill once the center of Roman government and religion, the Piazza del Campidoglio is today a wide square housing the famous Capitoline Museums as well as the seat of Municipality. The Piazza del Campidoglio was designed by the renowned Renaissance artist Michelangelo, but it was not completed in his lifetime. However, the builders faithfully carried out the design he had envisioned until its completion over 400 years later. The piazza opens up from a staircase wide enough to accommodate visiting dignitaries on horseback, namely the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, who was scheduled to visit in 1538. The Piazza del Campidoglio is a wide elliptical-shaped courtyard paved in an eccentric twelve-pointed star design which, despite Michelangelo's plans, was not put in place until it was ordered by Benito Mussolini in 1940.

Centered in this design is a remake of the bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius, the original of which was removed for restoration and now stands in the Museo Capitolino. Opposite the stairs is the central building holding the seat of Municipality, the Palazzo Senatorio. Flanking it on either side are Palazzo dei Conservatori and Palzzo Nuovo, which together form the Capitoline Museums. The design for the renovation and construction of these three buildings were put together by Michelangelo as a commissin by Pope Paul III. The Piazza del Campidoglio is an impressive result of Michelangelo's genius in reaction to the incredible challenge presented him for this design.