88 PALAZZO DELLA CONSULTA AND PIAZZA DEL QUIRINALE QUIRINAL PALACEWAS BUILT ON THE HILL THAT WAS AT ONE TIME CALLEDMONTE CAVALLO. IT WAS THE POPES’ SUMMER RESIDENCE IN A PART OF THE CITY THAT WAS PARTICULARLY SALUBRIOUS. IT ASSUMED ITS PRESENT FORM IN THE EARLY SEVENTEENTH CENTURY, WHILE THE LONG BUILDINGON THE SIDEWAS BUILT IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY AND IS STILL TODAY REFERRED TO AS THE “MANICA LUNGA” (LONG SLEEVE). STANDING AT THE CENTER OF THE SQUARE ARE THE TWO COLOSSAL STATUES OF THE DIOSCURI CASTOR AND POLLUX (OR AT LEAST THAT IS WHOMOST OF THE EXPERTS SAY THEY ARE), WHICH COME FROM THE NEARBY BATHS OF CONSTANTINE. ALTHOUGH FOR CENTURIES BELIEVED TO BE THE GREEK ORIGINALS, THEY ARE ACTUALLY ROMAN COPIES FROM THE IMPERIAL AGE. PORTRAYED AS THEY PULL ON THE REINS OF THEIR HORSES, THEY GAVE THE SQUARE ITS FAMILIAR NAME OF MONTE CAVALLO. THE MAJESTIC PALAZZO DELLA CONSULTA DESIGNED BY FERDINANDO FUGA OVERLOOKS THE PIAZZA AS WELL.
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