Virginio Vespignani

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Virginio Vespignani (1808, Rome - 1882, Rome) was an Italian architect. A student of Luigi Poletti, he was highly interested in classical architecture, becoming one of Roman neoclassical academism's main figures.

In 1850 he built the neoclassical, domed Church of the Madonna dell’Archetto around the shrine of the Madonna in Palazzo Muti. He worked for a time as papal architect, and his works in Rome include the completion, restoration and rebuilding of the external facade of Porta Pia (1868) and the restoration of Santa Maria Maggiore and San Lorenzo fuori le mura. He was also one of many participants in the reconstruction of the basilica of San Paolo, and rebuilt Porta San Pancrazio (1857) and Porta San Pancrazio (1873) alone.