Commemorative monuments in Rome (1870-1911)

Images and symbols of the new capital

Abstract

In 1870 Rome became part of the unified kingdom of Italy, becoming from that moment the capital of the new State. The city entered a new phase of its history that historiography has called the “Terza Roma” (Third Rome), or “Roma Capitale”, to differentiate it from the “Prima Rome” (the First Rome, the Rome of the Caesars) and the “Seconda Roma” (the Second Rome, the Rome of the Popes). While the first two always had the prominence proper to their importance in the history of architecture and urban planning, the new Roma Capitale also builds its image through a complete and perfectly planned programme of actions, among which the proliferation of commemorative monuments in the public space stands out, with which to contribute to the construction of the image of modern Rome. The permanence in time of these values, and also of their transformations, appreciation and new meanings, enrich and update the relationships between art, heritage, city and communication.