Il Teatro Goldoni degli Altemps

It's one of those rare gems you know exists but also know you have limited opportunities to visit. And so it happens that this beautiful theater lets itself be discovered and shows how, despite its many troubles and historical tribulations, it remains magnificent. Built in the early 1600s by Giovanni Angelo Altemps, it was very small (about twenty meters) and consisted of a gallery on three sides and a loggia. It turned out to be one of the oldest private theaters in Rome, and it hosted a full theatrical season, as evidenced by its costumes and stage machinery. In 1700, it was rented and featured performances of Goldoni's Venetian comedies (hence the name), and from there began a sad decline that saw its ups and downs until a new lease of life with the actress Reilly, before later becoming a piano bar. To this day, it has a structure that mirrors its original one. Very modest but very well executed. The ceiling is beautiful, with a fresco reminiscent of institutional buildings, and the gilded frame on the stage deserves further enhancement and restoration. The well above the double staircase leading to the rooms is beautiful, and you can still glimpse it even when the glass door is closed (the entrance is through the courtyard portico). Check out the photos and videos I've posted and the other reviews I've written about Rome and its wonders. If I've been helpful, click "helpful." Follow me if you like.