Washington Winter Show 2026

43 protect America’s interests and advance its values. The property’s acquisition was funded using Italian war credits against U.S. army surplus materials. Previously the home of Italy’s beloved Queen Mother Margherita, this 19th-century landmark provided the necessary office space for American diplomats at a central location in Rome. Designed by Italian architect Gaetano Koch and constructed between 1886–1890 for Prince Boncompagni Ludovisi, Koch’s building incorporated Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi’s residence dating to the 1600s. The United States restored and renovated the building, including the installation of modern plumbing and heating systems. One of the most significant spaces on the embassy’s main floor, or piano nobile , is the Grand Gallery leading to the ambassador’s office. Giovanni Caprenesi, a notable Italian painter, completed the exceptionally painted and gilt stucco decorations and trompe-l’oeils on the walls and ceiling of the gallery which date to 1890. A Treasured Collection in Rome As the United States acquired properties abroad for embassies, consulates, or residences, it was not unusual for the transaction to include the conveyance of furnishings, art and decorative arts. Unlike museums, in which provenance, artistic value, condition, and social, cultural, and historical contextual information are typically known and documented, the State Department was fortunate if it received a complete list of contents, especially in postwar Europe. With the acquisition of Palazzo Margherita in 1946, the United States also received a remarkable collection of art and antiquities, including more than seventy statuary pieces that are remnants of the renowned Ludovisi collection assembled by Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi during the early 17th century. Given the significant historic association between the collection and the embassy compound, which includes the Cardinal’s 17th-century residence, the statuary and art remain in place at the embassy The Palazzo Margherita is one of several buildings comprising the U.S. Embassy compound in the heart of Rome. MGT/Cultural Heritage Office, U.S. Embassy Rome