Palazzo dei Conservatori

Palazzo dei Conservatori is one of the principal buildings on Rome’s Capitoline Hill and forms part of the Capitoline Museums. The museum complex was established as a public collection in 1734 and the palazzo’s current appearance was shaped by rebuilding in the 16th century and later restorations.

The palazzo houses an extensive collection of ancient Roman sculpture and portraiture arranged in large vaulted halls and galleries. Notable museum highlights include major Roman bronzes and portrait busts; the adjacent Piazza del Campidoglio features the restored equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius.

Originally built as the seat of the city magistrates known as the Conservatori, the building was redeveloped in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Michelangelo prepared designs for the Capitoline Hill project in the 1530s that influenced the layout of the piazza and the façades of the surrounding palaces; the complex later became Rome’s municipal museum collection in the 18th century.

The palazzo sits on the Capitoline Hill above the Roman Forum in central Rome, within walking distance of the Colosseum and the Forum ruins. It is in Rome’s historic centre and is immediately adjacent to Piazza del Campidoglio.

• Tickets: The Capitoline Museums ticket covers entry to the palazzo and the neighbouring Palazzo Nuovo when combined tickets are offered.
• Best view: A terrace and loggia offer direct views down onto the Roman Forum and the Capitoline equestrian statue in the piazza.