Quartiere Coppedè
Discover Quartiere Coppedè
Last updated on October 6, 2026Introduction
In the heart of Rome, a short walk from the historic centre, is one of the most characteristic quarters of the city — and the first thing the city itself says about it is that it is not one. In reality not a true quarter, but a corner of Rome of unexpected and bizarre features: a fantastic mixture of Liberty and Art Deco art with infiltrations of Greek, Gothic, baroque and even medieval art.
It is a development, and a small one. The quartiere Coppedè is a complex of 26 palazzine and 17 villini rising between the Salaria and the Nomentana. Forty-three buildings, no streets of its own worth the name, and a walk you can finish in half an hour.
You enter under a chandelier. A richly decorated "arcone" joining the two buildings of the ambassadors, from which descends a great wrought-iron chandelier, defines the entrance to the quarter — a piece of theatre that tells you immediately what kind of place this is.
One architect built it, and did not live to finish it. It was designed and built between 1915 and 1927 by the eclectic architect Gino Coppedè, from whom it takes its name, and the works were completed by his son-in-law Paolo Emilio Andrè, after Coppedè's own death.
Everything turns on one small square. The ensemble of the buildings, the incredible "pastiche" of architectural languages which immerse the visitor in the sumptuous and also slightly fictitious atmosphere of the early twentieth century, is articulated around piazza Mincio, where the central space is occupied by the Fontana delle Rane, an imposing fountain populated by twelve frogs.
Two buildings are the reason to come. The piazza is surrounded by buildings differing in form and size, and the two most notable, decorated in a superabundant and fantastic manner, are the Palazzina del Ragno, of Assyro-Babylonian inspiration, distinguished by a great spider on its facade, and the Villino delle Fate, characterised by a total asymmetry, with medieval arches and friezes, made by the fusion of different materials such as marble, brick, travertine, terracotta and glass.
And it has a second life on film. The almost fantastical dimension of this evocative place in Rome has inspired more than one film: it decidedly bewitched the horror director Dario Argento, who used it as the location of two of his most famous feature films, "Inferno" and "L'uccello dalle piume di cristallo".
Architecture
Its style is deliberately unresolvable. A fantastic mixture of Liberty and Art Deco art with infiltrations of Greek, Gothic, baroque and even medieval art, producing an incredible "pastiche" of architectural languages which immerse the visitor in the sumptuous and also slightly fictitious atmosphere of the early twentieth century.
Its plan is a development, not a district. A complex of 26 palazzine and 17 villini rising between the Salaria and the Nomentana, and in reality not a true quarter, but a corner of Rome of unexpected and bizarre features.
Its entrance is an architectural gesture. A richly decorated "arcone" joining the two buildings of the ambassadors, from which descends a great wrought-iron chandelier, defines the entrance to the quarter — a span doing the work of a gate.
Its centre is a square with a fountain in it. The ensemble is articulated around piazza Mincio, where the central space is occupied by the Fontana delle Rane, an imposing fountain populated by twelve frogs.
Its two set pieces are a spider and an asymmetry. The Palazzina del Ragno, of Assyro-Babylonian inspiration, distinguished by a great spider on its facade; and the Villino delle Fate, characterised by a total asymmetry, with medieval arches and friezes, made by the fusion of different materials such as marble, brick, travertine, terracotta and glass. Both are decorated in a superabundant and fantastic manner, and the piazza is surrounded by buildings differing in form and size.
How it was built and evolved over time
One architect designed the whole of it. The quarter was designed and built between 1915 and 1927 by the eclectic architect Gino Coppedè, from whom it takes its name.
Twelve years produced forty-three buildings. A complex of 26 palazzine and 17 villini, between the Salaria and the Nomentana.
He did not see it finished. The works were completed by his son-in-law Paolo Emilio Andrè, after Coppedè's own death.
The materials were mixed on purpose. The Villino delle Fate was made by the fusion of different materials such as marble, brick, travertine, terracotta and glass — the method of the whole quarter, concentrated in one house.
And the composition was planned around a single square. The ensemble of the buildings is articulated around piazza Mincio, with the Fontana delle Rane occupying the central space and the "arcone" and its great wrought-iron chandelier marking the approach.
Frequently asked questions
Is it a real quarter? No — and the city says so: in reality not a true quarter, but a corner of Rome of unexpected and bizarre features. It is a complex of 26 palazzine and 17 villini.
How much does it cost? Nothing. Turismo Roma publishes no admission price and no ticket link.
What are the opening hours? There are none. It is a public street.
Where is it? Between the Salaria and the Nomentana, a short walk from the historic centre, articulated around piazza Mincio.
Where should I enter? Under the richly decorated "arcone" joining the two buildings of the ambassadors, from which descends a great wrought-iron chandelier — it defines the entrance to the quarter.
Who built it, and when? It was designed and built between 1915 and 1927 by the eclectic architect Gino Coppedè, from whom it takes its name; the works were completed by his son-in-law Paolo Emilio Andrè, after Coppedè's own death.
What style is it? A fantastic mixture of Liberty and Art Deco art with infiltrations of Greek, Gothic, baroque and even medieval art — an incredible "pastiche" of architectural languages.
How many frogs are in the fountain? Twelve. The Fontana delle Rane is an imposing fountain populated by twelve frogs, occupying the central space of piazza Mincio.
Which are the buildings to look for? The Palazzina del Ragno, of Assyro-Babylonian inspiration, distinguished by a great spider on its facade, and the Villino delle Fate, characterised by a total asymmetry, with medieval arches and friezes, made by the fusion of different materials such as marble, brick, travertine, terracotta and glass.
Can I go inside the buildings? No. They are private homes, and nothing on the city's page offers an interior visit.
How long does it take? About thirty minutes. Forty-three buildings around one small square.
Which films were shot here? Dario Argento used it for "Inferno" and "L'uccello dalle piume di cristallo"; also shot here were "Il profumo della signora in nero" by Francesco Barilli, "Ultimo tango a Zagarolo" by Nando Cicero and "Audace colpo dei soliti ignoti" by Nanni Loy with Vittorio Gassman.