San Michele a Ripa monumental complex

San Michele a Ripa monumental complex
The ICCD is seated in a fraction of the San Michele a Ripa monumental complex. The spaces it
possesses develop around the four sides of the so-called courtyard of the Zitelle (Spinsters).
In fact, the apostolic hospice’s enormous building was built during a period of one hundred and
fifty years, starting from the pontificate of Innocenzio XI (Odescalchi, 1676-1689) and ending
with that of Leone XII (Della Genga, 1823-1829).
The building of the complex’s first “part” had begun even before Cardinal Benedetto Odescalchi
sat on the papal throne.
In reality, the building of the complex
ad started under Monsignor Tommaso
Odescalchi who was strongly
concerned by the miserable
conditions in which orphan and
abandoned children lived in.
At this purpose, the words of Cardinal
Antonio Tosti in his report on the
origins of the San Michele are
emblematic: “we had taken under our
care those helpless children, who
grew up in the city in the midst of the
thousand obscene villainies caused by
the idleness of being without roof for
shelter and craft for employment”.
Thus the idea of building a large factory, at Ripa Grande behind the ancient the fluvial port, which
would be both the home and the workplace of abandoned children came to the Cardinal’s mind.
“The pontiff ordered the establishment of an Institute and the construction of a vast edifice, which
would be apt to receive four numerous classes of people, in the most decent of positions, and that
the latter be fed, dressed and directed both in spirit and in craft, in order for them not to be seen
bumming on the streets and in churches, where they disturbed the mercy of the Parishioners with
their moaning, and not to fill the city with abominable faces, but to make them useful members of
the Republic”.
Of the four classes of people the first was that “De’ poveri Vecchi – Of poor Old Men”, the second
was that “Delle miserabili Vecchie – Of miserable Old Women”, the third “Dei poveri Ragazzi –
Of poor Young Men”, and, finally, the fourth “Delle povere Zitelle Orfane – Of poor Orphan
Spinsters, which being without a Father, or without anyone that would take loving care of them,
would not remain on the streets exposed to the phenomenon of vices and to the mockery of
disgrace anymore”.
The ICCD installed itself in the Conservatory of the “Zitelle” in December 1986 and occupies all
the levels of the factory’s body.
Oreste Albarano