The Enchanting Tale of the Magic Door in Piazza Vittorio, Rome

In the heart of Rome, where history and modernity coexist, this doorway transports those who believe into a world of enchantment

Rome is famous for many monuments and places: Colosseum, Fountain of Trevi, Spanish Steps, Pantheon, etcetera. Among its many enchanting landmarks, there is a lesser-known but truly magical attraction: the Alchemical Door, the Door of Heaven or the Hermetic Door.

Located few meters from the apartment of Maurizio, this mysterious portal has captured the imaginations of locals and tourists. Built in the second half of the seventeenth century, the Door is in the heart of the garden of Piazza Vittorio, along the ancient perimeter of Villa Palombara, residence of the Marquis Massimiliano Savelli Palombara (1614-1685), a refined man of letters and passionate about alchemy and esotericism, interest moreover shared with Christina of Sweden of whom he was a friend during the queen’s stay in Rome.

The door was placed in the north-east side of Piazza Vittorio around 1888, after being dismantled in 1873, the year of expropriation of the villa by the Municipality of Rome, for its demolition due to the construction works of the new Esquiline district and the simultaneous creation of the garden of the square. The door is set in a block of tuff, the only remnant of the original site, with two statues next to it depicting the Egyptian god Bes, difficult to date, found in the excavations of the Quirinale – the hill and the area where is located the Big Presidential Palace of Italian Republic – at the end of the nineteenth century.

According to the legend, a traveler, probably the doctor and alchemist Francesco Borri, was hosted in the villa. During his stay, on the night, Borri went to the garden in search of an herb capable of producing gold. The following morning the doctor was disappeared leaving traces of pure gold and difficult-to-interpret manuscripts, with alchemical symbols and formulas. The Marquis Palombara would therefore engrave these formulas, symbols and inscriptions in Latin and Hebrew on the Door.

This legend is currently outdated and the inscription is attributed to the Vatican code called “The Lie. Rhymes of the Marquis Massimiliano Palombara. July MDCLX” (Reginense Lat. 1521 manuscript of the Vatican Apostolic Library) from 1655, created by the same Marquis Palombara.

Taking into account that the inscription on the door is part of a larger monumental complex of which the Palombara villa was also part, the alchemical inscription becomes very important as it represents the only example of this type from that period of Rome’s history. Despite its growing popularity, the Magic Door has managed to maintain an air of secrecy and mystique. The local community and authorities recognize the importance of preserving the magic surrounding this unassuming portal, ensuring that it continues to inspire generations to come.

Information and reservations:

Entry permitted only to accompanied groups. Max 25 people per visit.
Reservation required on 060608 from 9.00 to 19.00

For individual visitors , always after booking on 060608, individual visits are also possible according to a calendar

RATES:
Full price: €4.00

Reduced price: €3.00

Free entry for MIC card holders. The entrance fee does not include the guided tour which must be organized independently