Piazza Fortebracci, in which the palace stands, is a meeting place for the many foreign students who are studying at the university and taking a course in Italian language and culture.

Description

The palace, in late Baroque style, was built between 1748-58 by the architect Pietro Perugino Carattoli and designed by Francesco Bianchi. During the 1930's the American  Count Frederich Thorne Rider financed the construction of the west part of the building which remains unfinished. The façade is punctuated by columns and brick cornices separating the large windows. The interior is decorated with frescoes by Giuli and Carattoli. In the main hall you can admire the painting of The Glorification of Rome by the futurist painter Gerardo Dottori. The small palace theatre saw Carlo Goldoni perform there when he was a child.

Since 1926 the building Gallenga-Stuart is home to the Italian University for Foreigners, whose aim is the learning and dissemination of the Italian language and culture in the world.

 

Curious fact

Piazza Fortebraccio,  where the palace is situated, is also called Grimana in memory of Cardinal Marino Grimani,  who promoted  its construction in 1536 to fill in the hollow separating the walled city from the Sant'Angelo hamlet.