Quartiere Coppede

Architecture buffs looking for an afternoon to spend away from the comfort zone of the Centro Storico, should definitely venture out to the Quartiere Coppede located in the Trieste-Salaria district neighborhood of Rome. This tiny bizzare angle of Rome is unique because of its fusion of its Ancient Greek, Baroque, and Medieval influences in its elegant palazzi, arches and fountains. The mastermind behind the creation of this fantastic tiny nook of Rome (which consists of only 31,000 square meters) was architect Gino Coppede. He began designing and constructing the area around 1912 until his death in 1927. The entrance of the neighborhood begins with these grandiose archways that take you inside the mystical quartiere where you can find Venetian-style palazzi donned with glimmery mosaics and painted frescoes.Also worth a glimpse is the Fontane delle Rane (Fountain of Frogs) built in 1924. Several countries chose the Coppede district as the location for their embassies. The tiny neighborhood was also often the backdrop for films including those made by Italian horror film director, Dario Argento.