MAZZATOSTA PALACE

Card Author:

G. Cesare Capozzi Teti

Location:

Via Orologio Vecchio

Date:

XIII Secolo

The building was born as a fortress in the XIth century, was transformed into a stately home, and castellare then, through diersi aristocratic owners who succeeded in time. The building underwent further expansion as before with Nardo Mazzatosta, then with Bartolomeo Mazzatosta between 1460 and 1560, treasurer of Pope Eugene IV, brother of Nardo, who made use of the interior space, also reducing the courtyards or “richiastri”.

Viterbo Città d'Arte - Palazzo Mazzatosta

HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION

The core of the building still has the towers and the characteristics of the original building dating back to the eleventh century despite the reconstructions and the war damage from the last world war. It was originally made to be a fortress. Then, Cardinal Raniero Capocci transformed it into an elegant residence to use as his second home around the year 1240. In 1247, the building is in ruins but not completely demolished. When Cardinal capocci, he restored and transformed the palace. After the death of Raniero, the building, or rather the “castle” is intended by the popes to be used for the residence of the treasurers of the Patrimonio. In 1260, Francesco Vico, an inhabitant of the palace decided to give the property to the convent of the order of domenicani di Gradi to save his soul. In 1296, Giovanni of the Sacchi family has possession of the castle as treasurer of Bonifacio VIII. Angelo Tavernini, a hated tax collector, takes control of the castle in 1375, at the time of the return of Pope Urbane V from Avignon. Nardo Mazzatosta enlarged the building again, using interior spaces and thus reducing the courtyards or richiastri. Then, between 1460 and 1560, Bartolomeo Mazzatosta, the treasurer of Pope Eugenio IV and brother of Nardo, also lived in the castle. From 1560, the palace was inhabited by the Sacchi Family. A medical physician from Viterbo, Giacomo, was housed in 1560 by Pope Pio IV. After his visit, the Pope decided to name Giacomo Archiatra Pontificio (the Pope’s doctor). On the coat of arms, which still remains in the building, you can recognize those of the Sacchi family, armed with two bags. The other belongs to the Caetani Anagni family, whose family was Pope Bonifacio VIII, and it has wavy stripes. You can also recognize tha Capocci family with a blue band on a gold background. There are no traces of the Mazzatosta coat of arms, which looks like a rampant lion wielding a sledgehammer. At the end of 1800, the building fell into decay with the Cecchini family. Land registry shows Paolo di Maria, son of Settimio, as the owner in 1901. Anna, the daughter of Paolo, married the lawyer Mario Scappucci in 1930. He had noble origin in Rome, but he grew up in Florence. His coat of arms is described as: The Tower of the Monkey with three stars in gold and vertical silver stripes. Mario, Attorney General of the State, he ensured that the restoration occured carefully. All of the signs, the coat of arms, and the front arch of the porch would all confirm the words of Della Tuscia: “Nardo lived at the bottom of the San Simeone district in which there is a gorgeous entrance with stairs and a loggia (porch).”

Palazzo Mazzatosta
traduzione di Cher Hale, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, iscritta al programma USAC presso l’Università degli studi della Tuscia.

ESSENTIAL BIBLIOGRAPHY

NICCOLÒ DELLA TUCCIA, Cronaca di Viterbo, a cura di I. Ciampi, in Cronache e statuti della città di Viterbo, Firenze, G. P. Viesseux, 1872.
C. Pinzi, I principali monumenti di Viterbo. Guida pel visitatore, Viterbo, Agnesotti, 1911.C. Pinzi, Storia della città di Viterbo, voll. I-III, Roma, 1887/89, vol. IV, Viterbo, Agnesotti, 1913.
A. SCRIATTOLI, Viterbo nei suoi monumenti, Roma 1915-20.
G. Signorelli, Viterbo nella storia della Chiesa, Viterbo, 1907-1969.
M. Signorelli, Guida di Viterbo. Monumenti del centro cittadini, Viterbo, Agnesotti, 1964.

MAZZATOSTA PALACE

MAZZATOSTA PALACE

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