Villa Silvestri Rivaldi: 16th-century frescoes revealed after centuries under plaster

A 16th-century villa near the Colosseum in Rome, Villa Silvestri Rivaldi, is undergoing a major restoration that has uncovered frescoes hidden for centuries. Built around 1542 for prelate Eurialo Silvestri, likely designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, the villa originally spanned 4,500 square meters with gardens by Jacopo del Duca and later Giovanni Vasanzio. After Silvestri's death, the property was rented to figures including Alessandro Medici (future Pope Leo XI) and Marzio Colonna. In 1660 it became a convent for poor girls, leading to the frescoes being whitewashed or covered. The complex later housed a school and, in the 1970s-80s, Rome's first social center (Convento occupato). In 2021, the Lazio Region and Ministry of Culture signed an agreement for restoration, with the Region purchasing the entire complex in December 2024 for €25 million. The Ministry has allocated €35 million so far, but more funds are needed. Starting January 8, 2026, guided tours (max 20 people, via Eventbrite) will allow visits to the piano nobile, first courtyard, and Torre Medicea, where frescoes by the workshop of Perin del Vaga—never before seen by the public—are now visible. From December 15 to January 6, the belvedere overlooking the Fori Imperiali and Colosseum will be open free of charge.