Coppedè district: Rome's fairy-tale neighbourhood

The Coppedè district is a tiny group of buildings and villas in the heart of the Trieste quarter, built between 1915 and 1927 by the Florentine architect Gino Coppedè. It mixes Art Nouveau, neo-Gothic, Baroque, medieval touches and decoration inspired by Antiquity: arches, turrets, frescoes, grotesque masks and a wrought-iron chandelier hanging above the street. It is one of Rome's most unusual places and one of the least crowded. You can visit freely, at any hour, in thirty to forty-five minutes.

Highlights

The Fountain of the Frogs

In the middle of piazza Mincio, the Fontana delle Rane is the heart of the district: frogs surround a stone basin. A popular legend says the Beatles cooled their feet in it after a concert in 1965; the fountain also features in a scene of an Italian horror film.

The arch and chandelier of via Dora

To enter the district, walk under the monumental arch linking two palaces on either side of the street, decorated with large grotesque masks and a huge wrought-iron chandelier. It is the most photographed spot.

The Palazzo del Ragno

The "Spider Palace" on piazza Mincio takes its name from the spider painted on its façade; frescoes, sculpture and loggias make it one of the most elaborate buildings in the district.

The Villini delle Fate

The "fairies' villas" combine medieval-tower decoration, loggias and frescoes. They are viewed from the street: they are private homes.

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