Sulle vie del Giubileo. Pellegrini, treni, papi (Along Jubilee Routes. Pilgrims, Trains, Popes)

A journey through the territories of faith, spirituality and progress. The long history of pilgrimage to Rome is recounted in a choral project staged at Villa Farnesina, conceived for the Jubilee and promoted by the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Gruppo FS Italiane and Fondazione FS Italiane, with the support of the Special Superintendence for Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape of Rome. Since ancient times, travel has been an integral part of experiences of devotion and expiation: from the mid-19th century onwards, the train facilitated exchanges and communications, changing society, the economy and politics, but also the practice of spirituality.

The first section of the exhibition looks back at the ancient pilgrimage routes to Rome and reconstructs the Roman and medieval landscapes in the area where the first St. Peter’s Basilica was built, between the Vatican Hill and the northern part of Trastevere. On display for the first time are previously unseen Roman artefacts from the most recent excavations of Agrippina’s gardens in Via della Conciliazione (Nero’s theatre) and Piazza Pia (Caligula’s portico), as well as materials from the gardens of Palazzo Corsini and the Schola Saxonum - Monumental Complex of Santo Spirito in Sassia.

The second section explores through the works of writers, painters and musicians the role of the locomotive during the 19th century, seen as a symbol of progress and the driving force behind a new way of experiencing spirituality. In the last room, a Cinematic Virtual Reality production, accessible through viewers, allows for an immersive experience of Pope Pius IX’s train (1846-1878), donated to the pontiff in 1858 and preserved at the Centrale Montemartini in Rome. Pope Pius IX’s support for road and rail infrastructure was significant, as was the impetus he gave to the study of archaeology, including the establishment of the Commission for Sacred Archaeology.