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Casa-Museo Palazzo Cozza Caposavi: The Bolsena Residence Where the 18th Century Still Lives
In the historic centre of Bolsena, in Piazza San Rocco, a stone’s throw from the lake, stands a palazzo that has belonged to the same family since the 18th century. Palazzo Cozza Caposavi was commissioned in 1561 by Cardinal Tiberio Crispo, papal governor, with the design entrusted to the architects Simone Mosca and Raffaello da Montelupo. After the cardinal had left the area, the residence was divided between the Cozza and Caposavi families. The two families would unite in the mid-18th century through marriage, also uniting the spaces inside the building.
Original Furnishings and Illustrious Guests
The rooms contain the original furniture, terracotta floors, and decorations. The library holds 10,000 volumes dating from the 16th century, including an autographed first edition of D'Annunzio's Piacere (The Child of Pleasure). Stendhal, Fellini, Moravia, and Marconi all slept here. Two popes have celebrated Mass in the private chapel. In the 1970s, the gallerist Plinio De Martiis brought his artists to the area, and Cy Twombly created his series of works entitled Bolsena right here.
A Museum That Tells the Town's Story
In addition to preserving the building’s furnishings, documents, and period objects, temporary exhibitions and cultural events are hosted that highlight the history of Bolsena and its territory. This shows that the palazzo is not just a nostalgia trip, but continues to foster dialogue between today's creative minds and historic Renaissance architecture.
