Rome - Capitol

(Local Name: Campidoglio) The Capitol, the smallest of Rome's seven hills, was the political and religious center of the ancient city. On its two summits stood the city's two principal temples, dedicated to Jupiter Optimus Maximus Capitolinus and Juno Moneta, on the sites now occupied by the Palazzo dei Conservatori and the church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli. The lower area between them is now occupied by the Piazza del Campidoglio. The square, flanked by palaces and approached by Michelangelo's ceremonial ramp and staircase, still conveys a feeling of the grandeur and dignity which the city has preserved down the centuries. Here victorious Roman generals came to celebrate their triumphs, making their way to the