Reason #5380 to love Rome: Bernini’s home and studio

Bernini homeOne of the (many) great things about living in Rome, Italy is keeping your eyes pealed for all the famous authors/composers/sculptors/artists who once called the Eternal City home.

Not surprisingly, one such illustrious resident was the Roman sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680). Although I knew Bernini lived and worked in Rome, I didn’t know where until I saw the plaque. Turns out we were pretty much neighbors, albeit with a pesky four centuries separating us.

Bernini lived and had his studio on Via Liberiana, off of Via Merulana and on the edge of  the Monti and Esquilino neighborhoods, and across the street from the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica. It was in this studio that Bernini carved his greatest masterpieces – Hades and Persephone and Apollo and Daphne.

Apollo and Daphne, berniniApollo and Daphne played an important role in one of my novels (not the Bernini statue version, but the Tiepolo painting believed to have been based on it). I wrote about it here .

I adore Bernini’s statues, and I love the fact that I’ve ‘discovered’ the studio in which he produced his most famous sculptures. And I love passing by it regularly.

One of the – many – joys of wandering around beautiful Rome.

Enjoy plaque hunting on your next visit.

If you find yourself near Bernini’s home and studio, be sure to visit some of my nearby tips – the incredible Santa Prassede church, the Mecenate Auditorium, the Colle oppio park, and the Panella bakery.

5 Comments

  1. […] the spectacular Santa Prassede church, the Roman era Auditorium Mecenate,  eating at Panella, the site of Bernini’s studio, and enjoying coffee with a  view at the Colle oppio park , which also overlooks the Ludus Magnus, […]

  2. Stefania Bufano on October 21, 2016 at 2:52 pm

    Grazie Kimberly!

  3. Stefania Bufano on October 21, 2016 at 2:52 pm

    Reblogged this on Make Italy Yours.

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