Palazzo

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Palazzo Senatorio (the Town hall and Mayor of Rome's office, Italy), in Piazza Campidoglio, seen from the top of the Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II.

For other meanings (eg the word's use in place names), see palazzo (disambiguation).

Palazzo is the Italian word for “palace”. In Italy, a palazzo is a grand building of stellar architectural accomplishment that is the headquarters of a noble or patrician family. Palazzo or Palazzi (in plural) are typically associated with the sumptious palaces that line the Grand Canal (Venice).

[edit] Etymology

The words “palazzo” (Italian), “palace” (English) or “palais” (French) and the other similar words come from the name of the Palatine hill in Rome (in Latin, Palatium). On this hill the patrician family Julia (“gens Julia” in Latin) owned some land and built their residence. When Octavian became Roman emperor after his succession to Julius Caesar their home and the name of the Palatine hill itself became synonymous with Imperial residence.

[edit] See also

• The Palazzo, Las Vegas
• List of palazzi in Italy