Rome Italy hotels

Rodi Knights’ House

Posted on 30 March 2010

Rome has numerous monuments testifying different historical periods, however, it often happens that between all these monuments one may forget to see other artworks which are worth a visit. Today we would like to describe Cavalieri di Rodi’s house (Rodi Knights’ House). This “house” is in fact a little XVIIth century castle located in Monti Area, between the rests of Foro di Augusto. The religious order living in this house was born in 1048 in Jerusalem to protect the Holy Sepulchre, the members of this order have changed names during the times such as San Giovanni Knights, Ospitalieri Knights and only afterwards Rodi Knights. Today the members of what became the Sorano Military Hospitaller Order of Malta are simply called the Knights of Malta. This ancient building was restored by Paolo II Barbo and in its inside there are different architectural styles and many “suprises” which will leave everyone astonished. The Byzantine Room has many architectural fragments of ancient medieval churches and many paintings from 1100, taken from San Basilio Church. Another church (San Giovanni Battista) is derived from the atrium of a Roman House, while in Aula Maggiore and Balconcino Room you can admire the reconstruction of a part of an ancient frieze of the Original Forum of Augustus in which the house stands. Above all this, walking through the beauties of this house, you can see friezes, decorations and paintings from Mantenga’s school and some of them belonging to Pinturicchio. The guided visits of this House are fixed and it’s always advisable to call or get information in order not to arrive in Piazza Del Grillo with no chance to visit it. Normally the guided visits are every tuesday and thursday morning but sometimes some visits are cancelled and in anycase the tour must be rbooked by calling the phone number 060608. The visits start after 11am and finish usually before 1pm. The cost of the visit is €11,00.