Supreme Court of Cassation

From here, we have a great view of the Palace of the Supreme Court of Cassation. It is the seat of Italy’s highest court, a legacy of the French Revolution, whose ideas were brought to Italy during Napoleon’s conquests. The building’s majestic façade is a fine example of the flamboyant Baroque style. Impressive, right? And it’s not without reason. You see, the edifice was built towards the end of the 19th century, after Rome had become the capital of unified Italy, and was meant to symbolize the city’s bright future. While digging for the foundations, they made some rather interesting discoveries. They uncovered a sarcophagus and, inside, the skeleton of a young woman and a perfectly preserved, beautiful ivory doll. Just goes to show how skilled the craftsmen were back then. Today, the doll is housed in the Antiquarium, the archaeological museum on the Palatine Hill.