Plaque to Federico Fellini
Via Vittorio Veneto, 124, 00187 Roma RM
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Details
Plaque to Federico Fellini marks a significant spot on Rome's elegant and winding Via Veneto, a street immortalised by the celebrated film director Federico Fellini in his iconic 1960 movie, *La Dolce Vita*. Unveiled on 20th January 1995, this commemorative plaque pays homage to the maestro, declaring: "To Federico Fellini who made the Via Veneto the theatre of the Dolce Vita". The plaque stands as a quiet yet powerful reminder of the avenue's cinematic past, evoking an atmosphere of glamour and a bygone era when Via Veneto was known as "Hollywood on the Tiber," attracting film stars and paparazzi alike.
Visiting the plaque allows guests to experience the character of Via Veneto, which connects Piazza Barberini with Porta Pinciana. While perhaps quieter today than its bustling portrayal in film, the street retains its allure, featuring a number of luxury hotels such as the Excelsior and Hotel Majestic. Nearby, visitors can admire the historic Fontana delle Api and the grander Fontana del Tritone, both works by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, adding further artistic and historical depth to the area.
This memorial is particularly suited to film aficionados, especially those with an appreciation for Federico Fellini's work and the timeless charm of *La Dolce Vita*. It offers an insightful stop for anyone interested in Rome's rich cinematic history and the cultural impact of its most famous thoroughfares. The plaque provides a thoughtful focal point for walking tours, encouraging a connection with the artistic heritage of the Eternal City and the enduring legacy of a legendary director.
Among these, a small white marble plaque dedicated to Federico Fellini commemorates the director who transformed Via Veneto into the setting for his most famous work, La Dolce Vita (1960).
LOCATION:
This plaque commemorating Federico Fellini and "La Dolce Vita" is located in Rione XVI (Ludovisi) in Rome, on Via Veneto at the corner of Via Ludovisi, almost at the chamfered, rusticated corner of a period building at the first floor level.
HISTORY BRIEF:
The plaque was unveiled on January 20, 1995, by the City of Rome, two years after the director's death.
ARCHITECTURE:
The white marble plaque has a simple rectangular shape without a frame. It has no symbols and is attached to the wall with four iron clamps.
The inscription is in black capital letters of varying sizes.
The full text of the dedication is as follows:
To / FEDERICO FELLINI / WHO MADE VIA VENETO / THE THEATRE OF / THE DOLCE VITA / † S · P · Q · R · JANUARY 20, 1995
TRIVIA: DID YOU KNOW THAT…?
The city of Rome, with its many faces and millennia of history, was a gigantic film set for the great director Fellini (1920-1993).
It was also thanks to these qualities that he was able to create his imaginative and surreal cinematic works.
These works also remain important postcards of the now vanished city from the 1950s to the 1980s.
La Dolce Vita, the 1960 film, remains a splendid fresco of Rome by night; it was one of his best films, perhaps the most famous in the world.
The iconic scene where the Junoesque Anita Ekberg bathes in the fountain, watched by an astonished Marcello Mastroianni, is particularly fondly remembered.
Via Veneto, the street that symbolizes the film and the social life of Rome at the time, plays a key role.
The hub of this period was the "Café de Paris," a meeting place for the most diverse nightlife figures and the famous Paparazzi. It originated from Fellini's film, from the character of the photographer Paparazzo, and has since become part of everyday language.
A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE:
Photographing this plaque means capturing a fragment of history: a small sign that encapsulates the imagery of an entire era.
JOURNEY THROUGH THE DETAILS OF ROME:
Even a commemorative plaque has a story to tell, to discover the city through the stories of its protagonists.
This is a small stop on a journey through the details that make Rome unique.
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