The Mint

You’ve reached the Palace Square, the most impressive square in the city. Before you set your sights on the grand monument in the center, take a moment to look at the building on your left. It’s the Hôtel des Monnaies, that is, the Mint. It was built in 1619, at the request of Scipione Borghese, the Italian cardinal who also had the famous Villa Borghese built in Rome to house his art collection. Check out the beautiful Baroque façade! On either side of the inscription, you’ll see two nearly identical sculptures, depicting lions holding a fruit garland, with a dragon right in the center. Just above, there’s the Borghese family’s coat of arms, featuring an eagle and a dragon, topped by the papal tiara and the keys of Heaven. No wonder, considering the Pope at the time was Camillo Borghese, Scipione’s uncle! Notice also that two angels stand guard on either side of the emblem. At the very top of the building, you’ll see two eagles, symbols of strength and prestige, and two dragons at the far ends, symbols of power and protection. These sculptures were added in 1911. The architect behind the façade remains a mystery, as the archives have been destroyed, but we suspect that a Florentine sculptor had a hand in it. In any case, despite its very name, the Hôtel des Monnaies never actually minted any coins. For many years, it served as a mansion for the Borghese family. After that, it became barracks for the Papal Light Horse cavalry in 1760, and then for the Gendarmerie in 1790. And it remained so for the next half-century. From 1846 to 1852, it housed the city council while the Town Hall was still under construction, and then in 1860, the music conservatory moved in. The building was listed as a historical monument just 2 years later. As of 2018, it’s been repurchased and it’s now on its way to becoming a boutique hotel, an innovative concept that allows hotels to stand out from the crowd by embracing a specific theme or style. It will soon be up and running! So much for the Hôtel des Monnaies! Next up: the Palace of the Popes!