Latest news with #Bernini
The Independent
13-05-2025
- The Independent
Palazzo Ripetta, Rome hotel review
Location The hotel shares its name with the street it's on, Via di Ripetta, an artery that leads off Piazza del Popolo, a dramatic Neoclassical square on what was the northern gate of the ancient city. If you're exploring on foot, many of the top attractions – the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon – can be reached in 10 to 20 minutes; Spagna and Flaminio–Piazza del Popolo are the nearest Metro stops (both Line A) and it's a 15-minute drive from the main railway station, Termini, to the hotel. Villa Borghese, Rome 's sprawling green sanctuary, is 500m north, where you'll find museums (including works by Caravaggio, Bernini and more) among the gardens. Head west to reach the subtly chic Prati neighbourhood, and continue on for Vatican City. The vibe The historic roots run deep in this 17th-century building – at first a convent, then a shelter for young women, before a meticulous 2022 restoration saw it reborn as a five-star hotel with unmistakable luxury. The classical and contemporary blend without a seam, with a restored exterior giving way to sleek, sculptural, light-filled interiors, with marble and terrazzo floors. Just beside reception is a former chapel, now softly repurposed as an intimate lounge – its frescoed ceilings and arched alcoves hinting at its past lives. The public spaces are home to an impressive collection of modern and antique art, including works by Burri and Liberatore; you can't miss the colossal brass globe as you enter, a striking centrepiece by Arnaldo Pomodoro. At the centre is the Piazzetta Ripetta, a calm courtyard where you forget the often chaotic city on the other side of the walls; stop here for an aperitivo under citrus trees, beside a 3rd-century marble sarcophagus turned into a fountain. The service Staff are attentive, from the moment you're ushered inside by the suited man on the door to a back-and-forth over wine choices with some pre-dinner nibbles. It's not intrusive, though – quick with the hot drinks at breakfast, slow to interrupt cocktails under the stars. Bed and bath Despite the grand size of the hotel, there are only 78 rooms and suites – which gives you an idea of how generously sized they are in a city that can cram visitors into small spaces (even the 'compact' rooms impress). The foundations of the interiors are muted – cream wall panelling, parquet floors – but bold colours in artwork, curtains and headboards bring it to life. Details are deft and sophisticated: chairs upholstered in vivid velvets, large chandeliers made from Murano glass, supremely comfortable beds dressed in Frette linen. Some suites open to private terraces, which overlook the inner courtyard or Rome's terracotta rooftops. Bathrooms are heavy with black and white Italian marble, most with walk-in showers and some with tubs, and feature Ortigia toiletries. Food and drink Piazzetta Ripetta is billed as a 'place to live, breathe and savour', but it translates as the hotel's casual dining spot. Spread over the courtyard, the menu offers sandwiches, salads and light bites, plus a strong dessert menu (try 'My Version of Grandma's Pie', a zingy lemon pie with crumble and toasted pine nuts. For something strong, head upwards to Etere, the rooftop bar, for wines by the glass or sparkling cocktails with a view of Rome's church domes and the soft curve of the Tiber River. San Baylon restaurant is the epicurean highlight. It's a contemporary dining room, with leather banquettes under arches and walls featuring softly lit items relating to the hotel's history, with a menu from executive chef Christian Spalvieri, who has worked in kitchens across Italy as well as in London. The risotto, made with carnaroli rice, is a green-tinted haze of Parmigiano Reggiano, crisp fennel and pine nuts, with an almost mischievous addition of liquorice. The pasta dish of 'pinched' agnolotti, stuffed with a white ragout and seaweed cream, balances richness with a salty hint of the sea. There's a wonderful core of trattoria dining within the refinement, and the value (€85 for a four-course set menu) is incredible. Guests eat breakfast, weather permitting, in the central courtyard, the trickling of the fountain a backdrop as you dine on maritozzi (brioche buns filled with whipped cream), Roman ricotta from the buffet and strong espresso. Facilities Lovely spots to eat and drink, and the courtyard to cool off in the hot Roman summers, is almost as far as facilities go here, though there is also a gym, steam room, sauna and hydropools. But the important thing is: you have the whole city on your doorstep to explore. Disability access There are a number of accessible rooms and common areas are wheelchair-friendly. Pet policy Pets are allowed; best to speak to the hotel about your specific animal. Check in/check out Check in from 3pm; check out by noon. Family-friendly? Children are welcome, and there are family suites. At a glance Perfect for: Escaping Rome's commotion to wrap yourself in art-filled luxury. Not right for: Party people or budget travellers.
Washington Post
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
A trove of ancient art, hidden for 70 years, begins an American tour
CHICAGO — At some point in the 17th century, the weathered marble body of a goat, carved in the 1st century A.D., acquired a head by the great baroque artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The fusion of old and new elements is easily detected, but the effect is undiminished: The old goat has received the Promethean spark and is now fully alive, full of mischief and a merry sense of barnyard menace. If you've spent any time around real goats, you won't turn your back on this spirited avatar of mayhem.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Where Will Pope Leo XIV's Historic Inauguration Take Place?
The Vatican has announced that Pope Leo XIV will be formally installed as pontiff during an inaugural Mass at St. Peter's Square on Sunday, May 18, at 10 a.m. This ceremonial event comes just over a week after the historic election of the first American pope in the Catholic Church's two-millennium history. St. Peter's Square (Piazza San Pietro), designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini between 1656 and 1667, spans 320 meters long and 240 meters wide, with a capacity to hold up to 300,000 people. The massive open-air plaza is framed by a colonnade consisting of 284 columns arranged in four rows. Atop the structure are 140 statues of saints sculpted in 1670 by Bernini's disciples. These colonnades create what Bernini described as "the maternal arms of the Church.' The 69-year-old Chicago-born pontiff, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, celebrated his first Mass as pope in the Sistine Chapel on May 9, though that service was reserved exclusively for the cardinals who elected him. Unlike that private ceremony, the upcoming inauguration will be open to the public and attended by political and religious leaders from around the world. The ceremony will feature the bestowal of the pallium, a white woolen band adorned with crosses symbolizing the pope's universal jurisdiction. This tradition has replaced the more elaborate papal coronations of the past—Pope Paul VI was the last to wear the traditional tiara. Following his inauguration, Pope Leo XIV faces a packed schedule, including taking possession of Rome's three major basilicas: St. Paul Outside the Walls on May 20, and St. John Lateran and St. Mary Major on May 25. He'll also hold his first general audience on May 21 and meet with the Roman Curia and Vatican City State employees on May 24. You Might Also Like From the Archive: Tour Sarah Jessica Parker's Relaxed Hamptons Retreat 75 Small (But Mighty) Kitchens to Steal Inspiration from Right This Instant
France 24
29-04-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Cardinals run the media gauntlet ahead of conclave
"Your Eminence! Your Eminence!" shout reporters in front of Bernini's colonnade, a few steps from the majestic St Peter's Square, as the "Princes of the Church" meet every morning at 9:00am (0700 GMT). The Catholic Church's 252 cardinals have been called back to Rome following the death on April 21 of Pope Francis, the charismatic reformer who had led the world's 1.4 billion Catholics since 2013. Among them, 135 are under the age of 80 and thus eligible to elect his successor in a conclave starting on May 7, but cardinals of all ages are invited to this week's meetings. Surrounded by a swarm of cameras, smartphones and microphones, the cardinals in black cassocks and red skullcaps struggle to make their way into the Paul VI Hall where the "general congregations" are held. Most walk past with their eyes fixed on the floor but some offer a few nuggets to the waiting press pack -- although rarely any real insights. "There is a fraternal and sincere atmosphere, therefore a spirit of responsibility to seek somebody who continues the work of Francis," Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako of Iraq told reporters on Tuesday. Others make polite conversation. "Look at the sky! What beautiful weather we have this morning," one said, a smile on his lips. Italian Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, considered one of the favourites to replace Francis, walked quickly alongside the edge of a building to St Peter's Square, where interviews are not allowed. 'Revenge and alliances' The big question is whether the next pope will continue along the path set by Francis -- who implemented reforms of the Vatican and saw the Church as the champion of the most vulnerable -- or change direction. In his homily at a mass at St Peter's Basilica on Monday afternoon, as part of nine days of mourning for Francis, Italian Cardinal Baldassare Reina had a clear message for his peers. "This cannot be the time for balancing acts, tactics, caution, the time to indulge the instinct to go back -- or worse, for revenge and alliances of power," he said. Much of the talk on Tuesday was also about Angelo Becciu, a once powerful Italian cardinal stripped of his privileges by Pope Francis and convicted in 2023 of financial crimes. There had been much speculation as to whether he would be allowed to vote in the conclave. But through his lawyer, he confirmed he would not.
Times
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Pope Francis's ancient funeral music was silent on Catholic history
The music for Pope Francis's funeral had a fundamental simplicity. In contrast to the architectural splendour of St Peter's Basilica, the enveloping majesty of Bernini's great piazza, the rhetorical power of the Latin requiem texts and, perhaps most of all, the earthly pomp and vaunting ambition of the assembled world leaders, the simple singing felt more of an apt reflection of the man beneath the mitre. Most of it was sung unaccompanied, the rest quietly backed by an organ, by the 20 men and 30 boys of the Sistine Chapel Choir — probably the oldest choral institution in existence, with roots that can be traced back 1,600 years. The choir has had uneven standards in recent times. Connoisseurs wouldn't choose to buy its recordings in
