Palazzo Mattei di Giove
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Palazzo Mattei di Giove, also known as Palazzo Antici-Mattei, was built at the behest of Asdrubale Mattei, Marquis of Giove, who was married to Costanza Gonzaga. The building, the last of the five palaces making up the 'insula Mattei', was begun by Carlo Maderno in 1598; in 1613 it was extended onto Via Caetani and was completed in 1618. Built of brick and travertine, with three floors, it has late 16th-century facades, finished with a cornice decorated with the heraldic motifs of the Mattei and Gonzaga families. The palace, crowned by a roof-terrace with an open gallery, is also known for having hosted Giacomo Leopardi, nephew of Princess Antici Mattei, during his stay in Rome. The two courtyards and the staircase of the palace are adorned with sculptures, reliefs and ancient vases, mostly from archaeological excavations carried out on the Mattei family's property. The rooms of the palace, particularly those on the piano nobile, which currently house the Centre for American Studies, have vaults painted by artists active in Rome in the early 17th century, such as Francesco Albani, Giovanni Lanfranco, Antonio Pomarancio and Pietro da Cortona. The palace is also home to the ICBSA - Central Institute for Sound and Audiovisual Assets, the Historical Institute for the Modern and Contemporary Ages and the Library of Modern and Contemporary History.