One of the seven hills of Rome | |
Latin name | Collis Capitolinus |
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Italian name | Campidoglio |
Rione | Campitelli |
Buildings | Capitoline Museums and Piazza del Campidoglio, Palazzo Senatorio, Palazzo dei Conservatori, Palazzo Nuovo, Tabularium, Aedes Tensarum |
Churches | Santa Maria in Aracoeli |
Ancient Roman religion | Temple of Jupiter, Temple of Veiovis, Ludi Capitolini, Aedes Tensarum |
Roman sculptures | Colossus of Constantine |
Coordinates: 41°53′36″N 12°28′59″E / 41.89333°N 12.48306°E
The Capitoline Hill (/ˈkæpᵻtəˌlaɪn, kəˈpɪ-/;Latin: Collis Capitōlīnus [ˈkɔllɪs kapɪtoːˈliːnʊs]; Italian: Campidoglio [kampiˈdɔʎʎo]), between the Forum and the Campus Martius, is one of the Seven Hills of Rome.
The hill was earlier known as Mons Saturnius, dedicated to the god Saturn. The word Capitolium first meant the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus later built here, and afterwards it was used for the whole hill (and even other temples of Jupiter on other hills), thus Mons Capitolinus (the adjective noun of Capitolium). Ancient sources refer the name to caput ("head", "summit") and the tale was that, when laying the foundations for the temple, the head of a man was found. Some sources even saying it was the head of some Tolus or Olus. The Capitolium was regarded by the Romans as indestructible, and was adopted as a symbol of eternity.