What to Do in Rome That No One Talks About

This is one of the most precious places in Rome. Few people know it, few people come here and visit the amazing collection of sculptures. There are Greek sculptures, Roman copies of Greek sculptures. It is just fantastic. And even this palace, this building is really, I mean, a jewel. Hi, welcome to Grand Tour. Today we are in a very special place, one that is not crowded by mass tourists. We are at Palazzo Altems, a beautiful Renaissance palace that holds a very interesting museum. Here with me is Silvia. Hi guys, hi. Today she'll guide us and share some fascinating stories and insights. Right, Silvia? Yes. Let's go. We visited the Museum of Palazzo Altems, a pleasant surprise right in the center of Rome, where mass tourism doesn't reach so easily, and where the Renaissance palace itself is already a work of art. Today you are going to see something that hasn't been taken over by mass tourism yet, even though it's just a few steps away from Piazza Navona. Starting from the courtyard, where the different wings of the palace open up, you immediately get a first impression of the elegance and refinement of this place. It's clearly Renaissance in style. From the courtyard you can already see the frescoed ceilings above you, and all around you notice statues and decorative details that make the place even more beautiful. The history of the palace is also very interesting. In 1568 the palace became property of the Altems family, and that's where the name comes from. They lived here for many years, then at the end of the 19th century it became property of the church. It stayed under ecclesiastical ownership until 1982, when the Italian state acquired it. The exhibition inside the palace is the result of the integration of several private noble collections. Sculptures from different origins unfold along the entire path. Walking through these works becomes even more enjoyable because of the intimacy this museum manages to preserve. It's not that common to admire artworks slowly, in silence. At Palazzo Altems you can take your time. You can get closer, observe great masterpieces in detail, in their smallest elements. And really, this should be the purpose of every museum, to pause everything for a moment, to observe in silence, and let your eye be guided toward what the artist wanted to express through the work. But let's be honest, it's not always like that. Most of the time it's not like that at all. In Rome it's easy to visit places at the wrong moment, right in the middle of the crowd. And what you hope to admire becomes almost an illusion, something you have to fight for, surrounded by dozens of people with phones, cameras and video recorders, just to share it somewhere online and forget about it later. But that's another story. Silvia, we are still inside the museum, inside the building. It's an amazing place. And we have seen something really interesting, the Galata Suicida. Can you tell us something about it? Yes, the Ludovici Gaul, or the Suicide Gaul, is a state ship, a Roman copy of the Greek original. It was originally in bronze. And it is a group, a sculptural group, with a king suiciding himself after murdering his own wife. Because he prefers death instead of slavery, and instead of being caught by the enemy and made a slave. So it is a sculpture, very pathetic, with the ancient Greek meaning of this word, that is pathos, that is passion, and so suffering. It gives you a lot of feeling. You can see the desperation of this suiciding Gaul. And you can also see the fact that that is a Roman copy from the extreme movement of the two people, the dying woman and him suiciding himself with a sword. And the dynamism of the bronze is something unique. So the ancient world was full of bronze statues everywhere, much more than marble statues, because bronze was easier to produce, to work, to shape. And so you can see in the Roman marble copy the movement of the bronze. They tried to recreate that movement. And you can see that when you come here to visit. You can see that movement in the mantle of this suiciding Gaul that is full of wind, is moving, like taken away by the wind. Really, really interesting. Yes, yes. This is one of the most beautiful things you can find here. It is a Roman copy of the first century BC, but it's so well done that it seems to be a Greek original. Great. Yes. So let's go on. Let's continue. Here at Palazzo Altems, among the great works you can admire, you'll find the Ludovisi throne, a marble sculpture made of three panels, one in the center and two on the sides. The scene shows a female deity, possibly Aphrodite of Persephone, coming out of the water, helped by two female figures. The Ludovisi Ares, a Roman statue from the second century AD, representing the god of war at rest, naked, with arrows at his feet, symbol of love calming war. This statue was restored by Bernini. The great Ludovisi sarcophagus, a masterpiece of late Roman imperial sculpture, depicting a violent battle between Romans and barbarians, celebrating Roman supremacy. At the center, the deceased, a general, is portrayed calm within the chaos, symbolizing military strength and control. Overall, it's a very interesting exhibition. And what really makes it special is the place itself, the beauty of the palace, and the fact that it's still quiet, not full of crowds. In Rome, as you know, there are always crowds. The city has become one of the most visited places in the world, and the reason is clear to everyone. In Rome, beauty is everywhere. In a famous square, in a hidden alley, in a breathtaking view. So it's not easy to find a place where you can truly be at peace. But Palazzo Altems, with its exhibition, can offer you a moment of calm, a moment of introspection far from the chaos. Surrounded by extraordinary works, coming directly from some of the most important private collections, you can slow down, breathe, and move from one room to another inside one of the great Roman palaces of the 16th century. Noble families once lived here, in these very rooms. And all this beauty, still quiet, still untouched, somehow makes you feel, maybe not noble, but at least fortunate. If you enjoyed the video, leave a like and let me know in the comments what you think about this place. See you next time from Grand Tour.