Acquario Romano

Roman Aquarium
Acquario Romano

Main facade of the Acquario Romano
Location within Rome
General information
Coordinates 41°53′53″N 12°30′09″E / 41.89792°N 12.50261°E

The Acquario Romano (Roman Aquarium) is a building placed in piazza Manfredo Fanti, Rome, Italy.

Description

Designed by Ettore Bernich and built between 1885 and 1887, the building hosted an aquarium just for few years; later it was used as a depot of the near teatro dell'Opera, and sometimes for fairs and exhibitions.

A typical building of the age of king Umberto I, it has a circular plan and shows a pronaos with aediculas. Decorations with marine subject are inserted between the sculptures into the aediculas; between the caryatids are placed some medallions. The cylindrical body of the building is subdivided by lesenes and pilasters.

After a period of abandon, it was restored and used as a museum and seat for performances and concerts. It presently hosts the Casa dell'Architettura.