Farnese Palace, in Rome, designed by Antonio da Sangallo (see under Sangallo) for Cardinal Alessandro Farnese (Pope Paul III). It was begun before 1514 and, after the architect's death, was continued by Michelangelo and completed by Giacomo della Porta. Built of huge blocks plundered from ancient monuments, it is one of the most magnificent palaces of Rome. The great halls were decorated by Annibale Carracci and his pupils. After the extinction of the Farnese family it passed by inheritance to the king of Naples. Since 1874 it has housed the French embassy and the French school of archaeology of Rome.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Italian Physical Geography
