The Sumptuous Ceremonial Halls
The Quirinal Palace's east wing was chosen by the Savoy family for the events of court life: opulent decorations transformed the austere hallways of the papal palace
The Hall of Mirrors
Nowadays, the Hall of Mirrors is one of the most important rooms in the context of the institutional activities that take place at the Quirinal Palace.
In fact, some of the audiences with the President of the Republic are held here.
View of the Hall of MirrorsQuirinale Palace
The Banquet Hall is currently in the form it took under Savoyard rule, which is a good testimony to the moves implemented by the Savoyard regime to transform the Quirinal Palace into a modern and ostentatious royal residence.
The current structure goes back to 1877 and is attributed to Ignazio Perricci.
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Perricci created an elegant space in Rococo style, similar to that of the adjacent Hall of Tapestries, indulging the tastes of Princess Margherita.
The future queen was, in fact, inspired by the opulent style of the European royal residences in the 1700s in order to overcome the monastic atmosphere of the old papal palace.
View of the Hall of MirrorsQuirinale Palace
The Glorious Interplay of Mirrors and Lights
The atmosphere of the room was transformed into that of an opulent ballroom by staging a scintillating interplay of mirrors and lights.
The white, porcelain color, which dominates the room is enlivened by the gilded relief work and the curtains, which are also made of gold-colored material.
The walls are covered in a sparkling display of mirrors, which create an endless reflection of the light of the Murano glass chandeliers.
Allegory of dance (1876/1877) by Ignazio PerricciQuirinale Palace
The graceful reflections dance across the vaulted ceiling
The function of the hall as a ballroom can also be seen in the paintings on the vaulted ceiling.
In fact, for the center of the vault, Perricci chose a theme that alluded to the destiny of the room and added some rich, decorative work based on the Allegory of Dance.
Allegory of dance - Detail of the vault by Ignazio PerricciQuirinale Palace
In a room dominated by shades of gold and white, graceful, brightly colored, female figures dance on the vaulted ceiling, as if suspended from the heavens, holding hands in a festive circle like a children's game of ring of roses, which is continued with the cherubs that hover around the chandeliers.
View of the Hall of MirrorsQuirinale Palace
Life in the Palace of the Savoyard Regime
This is, perhaps, the room where it is easiest to imagine life in the palace under the Savoyard regime at the end of the 1800s, when, after centuries of papal austerity, the Quirinal Palace became a venue for cultured receptions, sumptuous lunches, and royal balls.
The Great Banquet Hall
The Hall of Mirrors gives access to the Great Banquet Hall, the heart of the presidential palace.
Its large size makes it possible to host ceremonies and events that involve a large number of guests. State lunches are held and new governments are also sworn in here.
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Original Function
The scale of the room is due to its original function as a Regal Room and to the need felt by Paul V to have a suitable environment for welcoming his more influential guests.
Post 1616, the room was destined to become the seat for public assemblies.
View of the Grand BallroomQuirinale Palace
L'Savoyard Restoration
The current structure dates back to 1873 when every trace of the former decoration was lost: the environment was completely transformed into a sumptuous dining room and ballroom.
I In this vast space, the Savoyar regime aspired to set the scene for its more important ceremonies.
That is the reason why the classic rococo style, which was so dear to royalty, gave way to a more solemn structure.
Chandelier in the Grand BallroomQuirinale Palace
However, since it was eminently suited to a room also aimed at hosting lunches and balls, the game of mirrors was not abandoned: there was in fact a desire to embellish the walls with two enormous mirrors that reflected the light of the great chandeliers and amplified the space of the hall.
The mirrors are embellished with the Savoyard coat of arms, the crossed swords.
View of the ceiling in the Salone delle Feste with the Triumph of ItalyQuirinale Palace
The Triumph of'Italy on the Vaulted Ceiling
The decoration of the room, which was the work of Girolamo Magnani and Cecrope Barilli, culminated in the vaulted ceiling with the illusionistic rupture of space in its Triumph of Italy constructed according to a pyramid-shaped scheme.
Italy personified is seated at the top of a flight of steps enveloped in a white robe with the Turrita Crown on her head and holding the tricolor flag.
At her side, a young thinker is recording the historic event at the plebiscite.
On the left, a crowd of female figures hasten towards the united Italy.
They are carrying the standards of the Italian municipalities, among which there is a glimpse of the standard of Venice.
In the sky, almost dancing, an ethereal maiden is approaching, crowned with a dazzling five-pointed star, the ancient symbol of Italy.
At the bottom, the depiction of the horseman withdrawing his sword and the person collapsing in the darkness seems to refer to the subject of light overcoming the darkness.
View of the Grand BallroomQuirinale Palace
Magnani and Barilli applied themselves to decorating the rest of the room with a very rich repertoire of architectural, sculptural and ornamental elements.
The decorations include nudes, cherubs, multicolored floral compositions, and military emblems.
On the top part of the walls, there are images of monochrome allegorical figures inserted into gilded cornices.
Orchestra Balcony (1889)Quirinale Palace
The Orchestra l'Balcony
In 1889, on the wall facing the grand staircase, a "permanent stage for the orchestra" was built to replace an old movable stage.
The high balcony overlooking the room was intended to host the masters, who provided musical accompaniment for the banquets and royal balls.
