Medieval Papal Artifacts and VR Experience at Rome's Vittoriano

The Vittoriano museum in Rome opens 'Bronzo & Oro. Roma, Papa Innocenzo III racconto di un capolavoro', an exhibition centered on the Lunetta della Nicchia dei Palli, a gilded bronze and enamel masterpiece from the early 13th century. The lunette, created by Limoges craftsmen from France, originally crowned the Nicchia dei Palli above the high altar of Old St. Peter's Basilica, where popes bestowed pallia upon bishops. It survived the demolition of the old basilica and is now part of the Vittoriano collection. The exhibition uses 3D digital modeling and virtual reality to immerse visitors in the reconstructed Constantinian basilica, placing the lunette in its original context. The show is the first in a series curated by VIVE director Edith Gabrielli, aimed at enhancing the Palazzo Venezia and Vittoriano collections and revitalizing the piazza for local and tourist communities. The lunette is a key artifact linked to Pope Innocent III (1198–1216), who restored papal authority over the emperor. Curator Alessandro Tomei highlights the piece's significance as an example of medieval goldsmithing and its historical connection to the papacy.