The Oldest Part of the Quirinale

In 1998-1999, on the occasion of the installation of technological systems, excavation campaigns were carried out in the gardens which made it possible to acquire important data on the topography of this area. The excavation, now in a museum, is located in an area between the palace and the Coffee-House area.

This underground space houses the remains of a Roman domus dating back to the end of the Roman Republic or the start of the Roman Empire.

Some floor mosaics, and in particular a fragment with a braided pattern composed of colored tiles, are important examples of the refinement of this aristocratic residence.

Standing out among the structures, there is also an impressive wall built from limestone blocks, a small arch of earth belonging to a sewage system, and a long open wall with large arches, which was perhaps originally part of a portico.

The Antiquarium was created for the purpose of storing and displaying a series of works, mostly made of marble, originating from the garden and the Quirinale.

In this room, there is a Roman sarcophagus for children and a display cabinet containing various excavation findings.
From the excavations in the garden, there is also a statue of a young Juno.

Near the entrance, there are two draped female statues, identified as Hygieia and Fortuna.

In the Antiquarium, the items on display include a group of marble objects which came from the rooms of the palace. These are pieces dating back to the long period in which the Quirinale was the papal residence.

At the door to the Antiquarium, there are some works from the Roman age. A sarcophagus for children and in front, a large altar recovered from the Roman Forum with a dedication to the Pax Augusta. Next to the altar, there is a small refined memorial stone dedicated by a woman to her son Claudio Onesimo, who died at the age of 21.