Class Discussion 4: Galleria Sciarra

  Although it was one of the lesser-known destinations, the Galleria Sciarra was one of my favorite finds during our time in Rome.  It was originally built to be a courtyard as part of a private residence for a wealthy family to facilitate access between their properties, but it has since been changed into a public passageway as a shortcut between office buildings.  It features a glass roof that illuminates the walls covered in frescoes of powerful women, as well as the embodiment of the Virtues.  While this is not an ancient site (it was constructed in the 19th Century and restored later), I found it to be an interesting example of how sites once intended to highlight wealth and opulence can be transformed into functional spaces for the public.  What was once intended to be kept private for the enjoyment of a select few powerful individuals has been turned into a means of making life easier for the public, since it provides a walkway to avoid walking around the building complex but the glass roof has preserved the beautiful frescoes within the space so they can still be enjoyed.  While this was not the original intention of the artist and owners, since this space was originally a private courtyard, it is an excellent example of how time alters the functionality of spaces and objects.  Much like how Nero’s private residence was transformed into space to be used by the public, the Galleria Sciarra has been preserved not to highlight the influence of the original owners, but to provide ease and beauty to the daily commute of countless pedestrians who pass through the space.