Located Just Steps From The Trevi Fountain Is A Hidden Glass-Domed Art Nouveau Palace

There's a reason why Rome is the perfect place to begin an Italian vacation — there are just so many things to see and experience. Among the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Saint Peter's Basilica, Trevi Fountain, and more, you certainly have your days filled to the brim with history and art. But there are also some lesser-known places that you might miss if you don't know where to look. For instance, if you go to the Trevi Fountain (which, some may claim, is a bit of a tourist trap), you only need to take a short walk to find the Palazzo Sciarra Colonna di Carbognano, a 16th-century palace that was renovated into a stunning, glass-domed gallery that is teeming with gorgeous Art Nouveau works.

Palazzo Sciarra Colonna di Carbognano is the home of Galleria Sciarra, named after the prominent family that renovated the palace in the 19th century. Although the palace is much older, most of the artwork was added during this time period. It is located on a street that is only slightly removed from the major pathways that tourists end up treading. The massive palace connects Via Marco Minghetti with Via del Corso and Via delle Vergini and is under a five-minute walk from the Trevi Fountain. You only need to walk west from the fountain and down Via delle Muratte to reach the courtyard, where you'll find the glass dome in the center, a stunning gateway, and gorgeous art that celebrates women and the various roles they play in the world.

There is no shortage of fabulous palaces in Rome that house breathtaking art. However, Palazzo Sciarra is unique because it's one of the best examples of Italian art that happened after the unification of Italy in the late 1800s — this was when the Art Nouveau movement was very popular in Europe. The entire courtyard is a testament to the Liberty Style (an Italian iteration of Art Nouveau). The gated entrance into the courtyard alone is considered one of the most beautiful palace gates in the city, even compared with more famous Roman palaces like Palazzo Farnese and Palazzo Borghese. Despite its importance and beauty, Palazzo Sciarra is often overshadowed by the number of other sites in Rome that showcase its ancient and Renaissance history.

The gallery is notably painted with the romantic and natural decorations of the time and takes inspiration from what was considered the "feminine virtues." The frescoes on the walls are figures of women embodying qualities such as modesty, strength, mercy, and faith, amongst others. These figures and the floral artwork around them were painted by the artist Giuseppe Cellini and dedicated to Princess Carolina Colonna Sciarra. She was the mother of Prince Maffeo Barberini-Colonna di Sciarra, who contracted architect Giulio De Angelis to renovate the space. The glass and iron ceiling not only protects the space from the elements but also provides a spotlight to view the fantastic artwork. The palazzo primarily functions as an office building, but the courtyard is open and completely free to the public during the day.