There is a corner of Rome where architecture ceases to be rational and becomes pure invention, a place where different styles intertwine in a fantastic tale, full of symbols, details and visions: this is the Coppedè District, one of the capital’s hidden gems.
Built between 1915 and 1927 to a design by the eccentric Florentine architect Gino Coppedè, this “district” (consisting of just twenty-six buildings and seventeen villas) stretches between Via Tagliamento and Via Dora, within the Trieste district, but can be considered a world unto itself. Art Nouveau, Neo-Gothic, Art Deco, classicism and oriental influences blend together in a totally unique visual language, where every detail seems to come straight out of a dream. Because of its surreal, otherworldly atmosphere, the Coppedè district has also conquered the cinema, becoming the perfect backdrop for stories full of mystery.
One of many is Dario Argento, who made it the ideal location for two of his most iconic films: The Bird with the Crystal Plumage and Inferno. A recognition of its visual power and timeless charm, capable of transforming architecture into storytelling.
This evocative walking tour will start from Piazza Buenos Aires, the ideal meeting point to frame the urban context and understand the genesis of the Coppedè district within the expanding Rome of the early 20th century. From there, we will enter the district through the famous monumental arch in Via Dora, surmounted by a gigantic wrought-iron chandelier and decorated with frescoes and enigmatic symbols: a spectacular entrance that introduces us to another world, suspended between reality and imagination, where every building becomes a story to be deciphered. The focal point of the tour will be Piazza Mincio, the beating heart of the neighbourhood, dominated by the spectacular Fontana delle Rane (Fountain of the Frogs), inspired by Bernini’s famous Fontana delle Tartarughe (Fountain of the Turtles) and made famous by a legendary anecdote: in June 1965, the Beatles jumped into it fully clothed. Some of the neighbourhood’s most iconic buildings overlook the square: the mysterious Palazzo senza nome (Palace without a name), imposing and silent; the symbolic Palazzo del Ragno (Palace of the Spider), laden with esoteric and Masonic references; and the fairytale Villini delle Fate (Fairy Villas), decorated with mosaics, loggias, Moorish arches and frescoes inspired by a fascinating blend of the Middle Ages, classicism and popular culture. Each villa is a tribute to three incredible places: Rome, Venice and Florence, celebrated through symbols of identity such as the she-wolf with Romulus and Remus, the winged lion of St. Mark, and Dante and Petrarch. The route then winds through the neighbourhood’s internal streets, such as Via Ombrone and Via Clitunno, until it reaches the Avogadro High School, which almost theatrically marks the boundaries of this small architectural universe suspended between dream and reality.
