Via Pinciana is one of the roads at the crossroads where our pizzardone in the photo by Jack Birns in 1950 undertakes to direct traffic. This road was part of a stretch of the ancient Salaria Vetus. In fact we know that there were two via Salarie: the Salaria Nova we know today, and precisely the Vetus which started from the current Via di Porta Pinciana following a different itinerary, until they rejoined the Salario bridge over the Aniene. The toponym Pinciana derives from the gens Pincia, which not only owned the homonymous hill, but also a domus to which this road led. Furthermore, the Pinciana flanks Villa Borghese and, having passed the portal of the villa (which we remember was the ancient main entrance) we see a circular pavilion that the Borghese princes used as a cave to store their wines when their sumptuous parties took place. This building, closed to the public, was accessed via two stairways and, in addition to being adorned with friezes and marbles, it was richly frescoed by Archita Ricci from Lucca.

  • Year: 1950
  • Photographer: Jack Birns
  • Location: Via Pinciana
  • Source: LIFE

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