Descrittione di Roma Antica e Moderna

Description of Ancient and Modern Rome

Federico Franzini

Descrittione di Roma Antica e Moderna, published by Federico Franzini in 1643, is a 787-page illustrated guidebook containing four sections describing ancient and modern Rome. It was published during a transitional time in the history of the guidebook tradition. Its title, Descrittione di Roma Antica e Moderna, speaks to the publishing house’s opinion about the importance of ancient Rome; the text gives as much distinction to the ancient monuments as it does to the Christian ones. Previously, guidebooks were titled Cose Maravigliose & Anitchità. These guides gave more prominence to the wonders of Christian Rome, with the ancient monuments as an interesting, albeit less significant, supplement to the main text. Franzini divides the guidebook into four sections. The first is a list and description of the seven principal churches of Rome. The second describes other significant churches categorized by their location in Rome. The third is a three-day itinerary for the Roman tourist, including ancient and modern sites, which is being transcribed and translated to be explored on this website. The final section describes the antiquities of Rome, including buildings, bridges, complexes, fountains, obelisks, and statues. The itinerary portrays Rome holistically as a modern city with ancient, contemporary, and Christian structures and other monuments to be discovered.