Reader Sara sent this information:
The Palazzo Zuccari was designed and built by Federico Zuccari, who also lived here and used it as a studio for his painting. The palace was erected in the 16th Century and has undergone numerous restorations over the years. During the 17th Century it was home to the Toscanelli family and in the 18th Century home to Maria Casimira of Poland. The door and windows are quite striking and were designed to resemble the face of a monster with the door as an open mouth and above it a large nose, two eyes and ears.
It looks like he's taking a big bite out of the tree!
The windows on either side of the door are slightly different. 
I love the round window!
I love the round window!
Thank you for posting the rest of the photos....I was wondering about those windows when you mentioned them earlier and wishing I could see them! Amazing whimsy...and I also love how that little round window over the main window opens...wish I could see inside this house!
ReplyDeletetoo funny, i had to stop back and see the rest of the photos. i can't imagine what the architect was thinking? it's almost borderline scary. it would be interesting to know the history of the house and reasons behind it's design. talk about a house that could swallow you whole!
ReplyDeleteI just did a quick Google search - found this link with a photo: http://www.hotelscalinata.com/eng/
ReplyDeletelocation/location.htm IDing it as the Palazzo Zuccari, and this blurb elsewhere:
Palazzo Zuccari
Piazza di Trinità dei Monti, 14 Rome 00187 - Italy
The Palazzo Zuccari was designed and built by Federico Zuccari, who also lived here and used it as a studio for his painting. The palace was erected in the 16th Century and has undergone numerous restorations over the years. During the 17th Century it was home to the Toscanelli family and in the 18th Century home to Maria Casimira of Poland. The door and windows are quite striking and were designed to resemble the face of a monster with the door as an open mouth and above it a large nose, two eyes and ears.
(I suppose we could have guessed it would be an artist's home!!)
Sara... i must not have googled the right thing! Thanks for the information.
ReplyDeleteWhat wild windows. Don't you wish we could go back in time and hang out with Frederico? He must have been a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fascinating place!
ReplyDeleteGlad I'm not the window cleaner. I think I'd have nightmares....
such an amazing place! I need to put it on my list of things to see. I love rooms with quirky round windows :-)
ReplyDeleteI love this house, the windows and the door. It's like something from a fairy tale, maybe a city home for the witch out of Hansel and Gretel. It is too bad someone vandalized the house w/ graffitti.
ReplyDeleteRound Window= Oculus or "Bull's Eye."
ReplyDeleteLOL! I love the windows!
ReplyDeletePaz