Quirinal palace 'to open longer hours'

(ANSA) - Rome, June 2 - President Sergio Mattarella said Tuesday the presidential Quirinal palace will be open to the public longer hours beginning June 23. The palace will open every day except Mondays and Thursdays, and guided tours will be doubled in length, he said. The Quirinal Palace overlooks the entire historic center of the Italian capital and is seen by many as the most beautiful building in the city. Its 1,200 rooms house a priceless heritage of 261 rare tapestries, furniture, paintings, sculptures and historic carriages.
    The late 16th-century palace was once a papal headquarters, housing about 30 popes (the last being Pius IX).
    At over over 110,000 square meters, it is one of the largest palaces in the world in terms of surface area (the White House is 20 times smaller).
    The main section revolves around a stately courtyard where heads of state on official visits are received.
    The president's apartment is on the opposite side and farther from the main entrance, at the end of an extension of the building known as the "manica lunga" (long sleeve).
    The palace's famous gardens run along the side of the "sleeve".
    The Quirinal is too immense to be described in detail, with its grand halls sumptuously decorated and filled with statues and busts telling the story of more than four centuries.
    One highlight is the Pauline Chapel, which boasts the same architectonic characteristics and proportions as the Sistine Chapel.
    Built on the orders of Pope Paul V, the Pauline Chapel has been the venue for a number of papal conclaves.
    In 1930, it was also the location for the wedding of Umberto II, who became the last king of Italy, and Princess Maria Jose of Belgium.
    In addition to the well-known Mascarino spiral staircase - which led to the pope's chambers - worthy of note is the so-called Loggia of Honor, where press conferences are held during consultations for the formation of a new government.
    The largest hall of the building is where new governments are sworn in and official lunches are held.
    Used as a dance hall during the time of the Savoy royal family, its floor is now protected by what is held to be the second-largest carpet in the world, measuring some 300 square meters.
    The Quirinal has what is held to be a world-class collection of tapestries, as well as paintings, statues, carriages, clocks, furniture, priceless porcelain, and glass and crystal chandeliers throughout the property - including one measuring a record six meters in height and four across.
    Police and Carabinieri paramilitary police both watch over this important building, with the Cuirassiers' Regiment - a specialized company of the Carabinieri - as guard of honor.
    Known for their golden helmets and plumes, the Cuirassiers must be at least 1.9 meters tall, skilled horseback riders, and able to drive large-cylinder motorcycles.
    And while former president Giorgio Napolitano did much to try to cut spending, the Quirinal still has a budget of almost 230 million euros per year, with a total workforce of 1,720.