View Page: Campidoglio

	Campidoglio
	written by sariah / 09.28.2005

Section Four

4 of 7

Patron

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Pope Paul III

Pope Paul III commissioned Michelangelo to redesign Capitoline Hill into a cohesive public space.

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Emperor Charles V

The triumphal procession and power of Emperor Charles V provided the motivation for Pope Paul III to redesign Capitoline Hill.

Pope Paul III’s motivation for commissioning Michaelangelo’s redesign of Capitoline Hill was in expectation of Emperor Charles V’s visit to Rome. Paul III’s predecessor, Pope Clemens VII, had aligned himself and Rome against Charles V in one of his many wars with the King of France. In retribution, Emperor Charles V attacked Rome and drove Clemens VII back into the Castel Sant’Angelo, where he was eventually killed.

Eager to avoid the fate of Pope Clemens VII, Paul III actively orchestrated Charles V’s visit to Rome. Returning from a campaign against the Turks in Tunesia, Charles V wished to demonstrate his domination and prevent future Roman rebellions by staging a triumphal entry in the traditional manner of the ancients. Therefore, Charles V’s arrival simulated previous Roman conquerors, by marching through important historical sites such as the Arch of Constantine, Colosseum and the Campidoglio. During the organization of this march, Paul III commissioned Michelangelo to redesign the base of the equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius, for its placement in the center of the Campidoglio. At the time of Charles V’s procession through the city, only the base had been completed; however, Paul III was so pleased with Michelangelo’s work, that he requested an entire redesign of the square.

As the Pope and leader of Rome, Paul III wished to impart both religious symbolism and the greatness of Rome in the square’s redesign. However, part of Michelangelo’s challenge was to work with the available elements to meet the Pope’s functional requests. By focusing on elements of symmetry and using the Statue of Marcus Aurelius as a center of the design, Michelangelo was able to reshape the square’s existing elements into a cohesive design.

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