Palazzo Branconio dell'Aquila, Rome

The Palazzo Branconio dell’Aquila is a lost palace in the rione Borgo of Rome, designed by Raphael for Giovanbattista Branconio dell’Aquila, a papal advisor and goldsmith. It was designed by the Italian artist in his last years of life, around 1520.

In his design, Raphael transformed the traditional models and rules of the classical Renaissance with a significant long term impact. This palace was a unique expression of the luxurious style of Pope Leo X’s Rome and, as the 1520s began, an unmistakable precursor of Mannerism.

The palace was demolished around 1660 together with the adjoining block to open a square in front of Saint Peter’s Square colonnade, the Piazza Rusticucci.