PARLIAMENT

PARLIAMENT’S ROLE IN ITALIAN HISTORY

THE HISTORY OF PALAZZO MONTECITORIO

THE MEMBERS OF THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES

HOW THE CHAMBER FUNCTIONS

THE CHAMBER’S ADMINISTRATION

THE COMMITTEES

LAW-MAKING

SCRUTINY OF GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES

INFORMATION ON PARLIAMENTARYPROCEEDINGS

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES FOUNDATION

SERVICES OFFERED TO THE PUBLIC

VISITING MONTECITORIO

The President of the Chamber of Deputies,Gianfranco Fini

Dear Friends,

I offer you my warmest greetings on theoccasion of your visit to the Chamber ofDeputies.If you are preparing to visit PalazzoMontecitorio, this leaflet will help you findyour way around the main places of interest,namely, the Plenary Hall and the otherrooms in which laws are made and thegreat debates on issues affecting the livesof Italian people are held.If you have already visited the Chamber, onthe other hand, this Guide may help youremember the salient moments ofinstitutional life. You can consult it to satisfya curiosity, answer a question moreaccurately or dispel a doubt regarding thelaw-making process that some detail ofcurrent political affairs may have raised.Democracy is strengthened by citizens’knowledge of how institutions are organized.Such knowledge is essential if everyone isto participate increasingly consciously andactively in the life of the Republic.

Welcome to the Chamber of Deputies

Under the Constitution of the Italian Republic,Parliament is the concrete expression of thepeople’s sovereignty. It consists of the Chamberof Deputies and the Senate of the Republic.Although differing in the number of theirmembers and the method by which they areelected, the two Houses have the same powersregarding the approval of laws, the voting ofconfidence in the Government and the activitiesof policy-setting and scrutiny in relation to thelatter.

The Houses meet in joint session inMontecitorio’s Plenary Hall for the purposes ofelecting the President of the Republic, five judgesof the Constitutional Court and one third of theHigh Council of the Judiciary. The President ofthe Chamber of Deputies presides overParliament in joint session.

PARLIAMENT

PalazzoMontecitorio

1861 The first Italian Parliament meets at PalazzoCarignano in Turin and proclaims the Kingdomof Italy on 14th March.

1865 The Kingdom’s capital istransferred from Turin to Florenceand Palazzo Vecchio becomes theseat of the Chamber of Deputies.

1871 Rome is proclaimed thecapital of Italy and PalazzoMontecitorio is chosen to housethe Chamber of Deputies.

1918 Upon the liberation of Trento and Triesteand completion of the process of nationalunification, Montecitorio’s new Plenary Hall isofficially opened at the end of the First WorldWar.

1924 Giacomo Matteotti denounces theillegitimacy of the elections won by Mussolini’s“Great List” and reaffirms Parliament’sprerogatives. After his assassination and despitethe so-called ‘Aventine protest’, the Fascist

regime consolidates its position andabolishes the autonomy and fullyrepresentative nature of the Chamberof Deputies. Finally, in 1939, ittransforms it into the Chamber ofFasces and Corporations.

1946 After proclamation of theresults of the institutionalreferendum held on 2nd June 1946,the Constituent Assembly meets

for the first time at Montecitorio on 25th June.

1947 The new Republican Constitution isproclaimed on 27th December and comes intoforce on 1st January 1948.

1948 The new Houses meet on 8th May, therebyopening the 1st Republican Parliament.

Electionof Giorgio

Napolitanoas President

of theRepublic

PARLIAMENT’S ROLE IN ITALIANHISTORY

EnricoDe Nicola

signing theConstitution

of theItalian

Republic

The history of PalazzoMontecitorio is marked bythree main periods, eachcharacterized by its ownarchitectural style and theallocation of a quite specificuse.

Ordered by the PamphiliPope Innocent X, theconstruction of the palace dates back to 1650.The initial project was entrusted to the architectGian Lorenzo Bernini and involved theconstruction of a large Baroque aristocraticresidence. It was not completed.

The second period began in 1694, under theorders of Pope Innocent XII, who instructed thearchitect Carlo Fontana to complete Bernini’sproject and used the palace to house the PapalStates’ law courts.

The palace’s last renovation began with theUnification of Italy in 1870. The building waschosen to house Parliament and, in November1871, following initial works directed by theengineer Paolo Comotto, the House met in thenew Plenary Hall. This was, however, found tobe too small. In 1902, a wide-ranging renovationproject was entrusted to the architect ErnestoBasile, who completed the building as it existstoday.

Basile worked with important artists,including Davide Calandra (theauthor of the Chamber’s bronzepanel), Giulio Aristide Sartorio (whopainted the great frieze) andGiovanni Beltrami (who executedthe polychrome glass ceiling). Thenew Montecitorio Plenary Hall wasofficially opened on 20th November 1918.

THE HISTORY OF PALAZZO MONTECITORIO

Bernini’soriginal projectin anillustration byM. De Rossi

Comotto’sPlenaryHall

ElectionThe Chamber of Deputies is composed of 630 Members, twelveof whom are elected in a special constituency by Italian citizensresiding abroad. Members remain in office for the life of Parliament(a period of five years, under the Constitution) and are electedfrom among citizens aged at least twenty-five. Non-eligibility andincompatibility with the office of Deputy or Senator are determinedby law.

The Plenary HallWithin the Plenary Hall, Members occupy the bench assignedto them within the sector reserved to their Parliamentary Group.According to a tradition shared by many democracies, the Groups’position on the Floor of the House (to the right, in line with or tothe left of the President’s desk) reflects their respective politicalorientation. Every Member of the House belongs to a ParliamentaryGroup. Save in certain exceptional cases, the Groups consist ofat least 20 Members.

The Chamber’s ActivitiesThe Chamber of Deputies pursues its activities throughout theyear, with recesses generally coinciding with the public holidaysand the month of August. Deputies carry out their work both onthe Floor of the House and in Committees. The House Floor is aplenary body in that all the Deputies participate in its sittings. EachParliamentary Group appoints its own members to the variousStanding Committees, assigning equal numbers to each Committee.Every Deputy is also eligible for nomination to participate onCommittees appointed by the President, special Committees,Committees of Inquiry and other Joint Committees (i.e. composedof both Deputies and Senators).

StatusIn accordance with the provisions of article 67 of the Constitution(which governs all Members of Parliament), every Deputy representsthe Nation and performs his or her duties without a bindingmandate. He or she enjoys maximum freedom to interpret the willof the nation as a whole rather than just that of the voters whoelected him/her. This liberty finds its chief expression in freedomof speech and voting and is guaranteed by the constitutionalprinciple that Members of Parliament cannot be called to accountfor the opinions they express or the votes they cast in the exerciseof their duties; nor can they be submitted to searches or arrestedor otherwise deprived of their personal freedom without theauthorization of the House to which they belong.Under the Constitution, MPs receive an allowance set by law.

THE MEMBERS OF THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES

POPOLO DELLA LIBERTÀ (THE PEOPLE OF FREEDOM)

PARTITO DEMOCRATICO (DEMOCRATIC PARTY)

LEGA NORD PADANIA (NORTHERN LEAGUE –PADANIA)

UNIONE DI CENTRO (UNION OF THE CENTRE)

ITALIA DEI VALORI (ITALY OF VALUES)

MIXED GROUP

1 President 2 Bureau’s Secretaries 3 Secretary General 4 Plenary Assembly Department 5 Parliamentary Reports Department 6 Parliamentary Ushers 7 President of the Council of Ministers 8 Ministers 9 Under-secretaries of State10 Committee “of the Nine”

MAP OF THE PLENARY HALL

THE PARLIAMENTARY GROUPS

The President represents the Chamber and is electedduring the opening sitting of Parliament. He isresponsible for ensuring the proper conduct of theChamber’s proceedings and that the Rules ofProcedure are observed. He gives the floor, directsand moderates the debate, maintains order, proposesquestions, establishes the order of voting, clarifiesthe meaning of votes and announces the result thereof.The President is also responsible for ensuring theproper functioning of the Chamber’s internaladministration.One of the Vice-Presidents stands in for the Presidentin cases where the latter is absent or unable todischarge his duties. The Bureau’s Secretaries alsowork with the President to ensure that sittings andvoting are carried out in the correct manner.

PresidentGianfranco Fini

Vice-PresidentsAntonio LeoneRosy BindiMaurizio LupiRocco Buttiglione

QuaestorsFrancesco ColucciAntonio MazzocchiGabriele Albonetti

SecretariesGiuseppe FallicaGregorio FontanaDonato LamorteLorena MilanatoMimmo LucàRenzo LusettiEmilia Grazia De BiasiGianpiero BocciSilvana MuraGiacomo StucchiAngelo Salvatore Lombardo

Composition of the Chamber’s Bureau

The President of the Chamber

HOW THE CHAMBER FUNCTIONS

The Bureau is presided over by the President ofthe Chamber of Deputies and is vested with thewide-ranging authority essential to the Chamber’sproper functioning.

The Conference of Group Chairpersons decideson the House’s Programme of Business andOrder of Business. It is composed of the variousParliamentary Groups’ Chairpersons and ispresided over by the President of the Chamber.The Government is always informed of theConference’s meetings so that one of itsrepresentatives may participate.

The three Quaestors collectively oversee theAdministration’s proper functioning, draw up theChamber’s internal budget, monitor expenditure,and are responsible for the protocol and thepreservation of order in the Chamber’s premises,in accordance with the President’s instructions.

The Bureau

The Conferenceof GroupChairpersons

The Quaestors

The Chamber of Deputies has its ownAdministration. This provides the servicesrequired to ensure the proper conduct ofparliamentary proceedings and is divided intoDepartments and General Secretariat Offices.The Administration is managed by the SecretaryGeneral who is in charge of all the Chamber’sDepartments and Offices and is answerable forthem to the President. He sets policies for theentire administrative structure and monitors itsperformance. He assists the President of theChamber during sittings and supervises how theHouse’s business is organized.The current Secretary General is Mr. UgoZampetti.

The Legislative DepartmentsThese are responsible for organizing the sittingsboth on the Floor of the House and in Committeesand for drawing up the related reports.

The Documentation DepartmentsThese prepare the documentation for theParliamentary Committees, the ParliamentaryGroups and for individual deputies.

The Administrative and TechnicalDepartmentsThe Administrative and Technical Departmentsensure that all the structures within the Chamberof Deputies function properly. They are responsiblefor administrative, technical and logistical aspects,as well as personnel management.

The Presidentof the Chamber

of Deputieswith the

SecretaryGeneral

THE CHAMBER’S ADMINISTRATION

Resolutions passed by the Floor of the House areusually preceded by preparatory work carried out bythe Parliamentary Committees. There are 14 StandingCommittees reflecting the political composition ofthe House and specializing in different subjectscorresponding to the broad areas of State activity.As well as enjoying a decisive role in the legislativeprocess, the Committees also have a scrutiny andpolicy-setting function vis-à-vis Government. Theyalso conduct hearings and fact-finding investigations,during which they may hear any person in a positionto provide information of use to the Chamber ofDeputies and its bodies. Such fact-findinginvestigations end with the approval of a documentgiving an account of the results obtained.Each House may, moreover, call for inquiries intotopics of public interest by setting up ad-hocCommittees that enjoy the same powers as thejudiciary when proceeding with their investigations.The Chamber of Deputies and the Senate can alsodecide to conduct inquiries by way of special jointcommittees (i.e. composed of an equal number ofdeputies and senators).

The Chamber’s Standing Committees

THE COMMITTEES

Constitutional, Presidency of the Councilof Ministers and Interior AffairsJustice

Foreign and European Community Affairs

Defence

Budget, Treasury and Planning

Finance

Culture, Science and Education

Environment, Territory and Public Works

Transport, Posts and Telecommunications

Economic Activities, Trade and Tourism

Public and Private Sector Employment

Social Affairs

Agriculture

European Union Policies

The Legislative ProcessBills may be introduced by any Member of Parliament,by the Government, by the Regional Councils, bythe National Council of Economy and Labour or byat least 50,000 citizens with voting rights.Acting in a reporting capacity, the relevant StandingCommittees proceed with the pre-legislativescrutiny and consultation, modifying or redraftingthe text where necessary and preparing a reportto be submitted to the House.The House then debates and votes on the bill,first section by section and then in its entirety. Incases specifically provided for by the Constitutionor the Rules of Procedure, Committees mayproceed not only with the pre-legislative scrutinyand consultation regarding a bill but also with thesection-by-section voting and the final resolution(thereby acting in a legislative capacity).Alternatively, they can formulate the sections,reserving only the voting and the final approvalto the House (thereby acting in a drafting capacity).Bills must be approved in an identical wording byboth the Chamber and the Senate.If one House modifies a text that has beenapproved by the other, then the latter has to re-consider the amended section and re-approve thebill as a whole (this is known as the “navette” or“shuttle” process). Bills approved by both Housesmust be promulgated by the President of theRepublic before they can become law. Underarticle 74 of the Constitution, the President of theRepublic, before promulgating a law, may requestthe Houses, with a reasoned message, to deliberateagain. Laws come into effect after publication inthe Official Journal.

The PlenaryHall

seenfrom theGalleries

LAW-MAKING

VotingVoting on the Floor of the House is public exceptin certain cases where the Rules of Procedureprovide that a secret ballot may be requested.Public voting is normally carried out:

by a show of hands or an electronic procedurewithout the recording of names (in this case, theparliamentary records do not show how individualMembers voted);by an electronic procedure with the recording ofnames (the so-called “roll-call vote”; in this case,the parliamentary records show how everyindividual Member voted).

Votes of confidence in the Government areconducted in a particularly solemn manner byway of a roll-call naming every Member.

Secret voting is also usually carried outelectronically. In this case, the parliamentaryrecords only report the names of those who votedand the total number of votes in favour, against,and abstentions. During elections, secret votingis carried out by ballot.

Detailof displaypanelshowingthe resultof a vote

Both on the Floor of theHouse and through itsC o m m i t t e e s , t h eChamber carries out ascrutiny and policy-setting function vis-à-vis the Government.Policy-setting is effectedmainly by way ofmotions (includingthose of confidence orno confidence) and

resolutions whereas Government action isscrutinised primarily by way of interpellationsand Parliamentary questions.Of the various types of Questions, those receivingan immediate reply on the Floor of the House areparticularly important. They are usually conductedevery Wednesday, during what is known as‘Question Time’ (broadcast live on television).The two Houses also exercise control over theGovernment’s law-making activities. In the casesprovided for by law, the Committees express theiropinion on its draft legislative decrees implementingenabling laws as well as on other draft legislative acts.

Presidencyand

GovernmentBenches

MontecitorioPlenary Hall

SCRUTINY OF GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES

INFORMATION ON PARLIAMENTARYPROCEEDINGS

Parliamentary proceedings are publicized by variousvehicles of information.The House’s sittings are public and are broadcastlive on the radio, on the Chamber’s satellite televisionchannel and on its Website. Members of the publiccan watch proceedings from the House’s galleries.Verbatim reports of the sittings (available in draftform on the Chamber’s website during sittings andpublished the following day in their definitiveversion) allow everything said in the House to beknown.Reports on Committee proceedings are publishedboth in printed form and on the website. The mostimportant hearings are broadcast on the websiteand on the satellite channel.The Chamber’s website (www.camera.it) furtherprovides full information on the progress of billsand the proceedings both on the Floor of Houseand in Committee, as well as information aboutthe way the Chamber is organized, its premises,services to the public, events and cultural initiatives.A direct line of dialogue between the President ofthe Chamber and citizens has been set up duringthe course of the 16th Parliament, as has a channelfor the Chamber on YouTube.Over 400 accredited journalists at Montecitorioplay a fundamental part in providing informationabout Parliament. Two annual meetings with theParliamentary Press Association (before thesummer and the Christmas recesses) offer thePresident of the Chamber an opportunity to reflecton the parliamentary work achieved.

The Websiteof theChamberof Deputies

The Italian Parliament contributes to theformulation of European Union policy byindicating policies that the Government shouldtake into account when participating in Europeandecision-making process. Furthermore, everyyear, both Houses ensure that the Italian legalsystem conforms to that of the EU by enactinga special law known as the Community Act.The Chamber also appoints deputies to sit(together with an equal number of senators) aspermanent members of the ParliamentaryAssemblies of the Council of Europe, NATO, theWestern European Union (WEU), the Organisationfor Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)and the Central European Initiative (CEI).The Chamber of Deputies also cultivates a densenetwork of international relations within theframework of its relationships with Europeanand non-European Parliaments. In this context,the President of the Chamber periodically attendsmeetings of the Conference of the EuropeanUnion Speakers, the Council of Europe, the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership and the Inter-Parliamentary Union. He also frequently meetsSpeakers from other Parliaments andrepresentatives of foreign States at PalazzoMontecitorio.

The Presidentof the

Chamber,Gianfranco Fini,receives Ingrid

Betancourt

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Numerous Parliamentary delegations fromEuropean and non-European countries arereceived at the Chamber of Deputies; duringthese visits, meetings are held with the StandingCommittees and with the other bodies of theChamber on matters of mutual interest.

THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIESFOUNDATION

The Foundation publicises parliamentary cultureand develops relations with the public bypromoting the institutional role, image andhistorical heritage of the Chamber of Deputies.In this context, it organizes conferences, seminarsand exhibitions on topics of interest to theChamber.The Foundation’s President is Fausto Bertinotti.

The PlenaryHallof theEuropeanParliamentin Strasbourg

The LibraryThe Chamber’s Library is open to the public andanyone over the age of sixteen is admitted. Itboasts a collection of over 1,000,000 volumesand numerous reading rooms specializing inspecific subjects.The Library’s complete automation allows usersto access bibliographic information on anyavailable terminal. Photocopying of texts isallowed in accordance with current regulations.The Chamber’s Library and the Senate’s Librarytogether constitute the Joint Library of Parliament.

The Historical ArchivesThe Historical Archives are open to the publicand anyone over the age of eighteen is admitted.They house the documents produced by theChamber of Deputies as well as holdings ofpolitical and parliamentary importance. TheArchives have a catalogue room, a study roomfor consulting documents and an audiovisualroom.

“Montecitorio Opens Its Doors” This is an initiative allowing the public to visit thepremises of the Chamber of Deputies accompaniedby parliamentary ushers. Open day is normally thefirst Sunday of every month and the Chamber isopen from 10.00 a.m. until 5.30 p.m.Admission is free and booking is not necessary.

The TrussRoom

SERVICES OFFERED TO THE PUBLIC

Training DaysTraining days are designed specifically for studentsattending the final two years of high school. Theyconsist of a one-day visit to the Chamber duringwhich students attend sittings of the House anda Committee’s proceedings and are giveninformation on how the Chamber of Deputiesfunctions.

School VisitsSchool groups may visit Palazzo Montecitorio withparliamentary ushers as guides every week fromMondays to Fridays. In order to organize a visit,it is necessary to contact the Security Departmentof the Chamber of Deputies (tel. 06/6760 4565,fax 06 6760 9950; sic_visite@camera.it).

How to attend a Sitting of the House Members of the public who wish to attend a sittingof the Chamber of Deputies can present themselveswith a valid ID document at the entrance of PalazzoMontecitorio situated at no. 24, Piazza delParlamento. Visitors are given all the directionsthey need to get to the public gallery when thevisiting permit is issued (issue is subject to thenumber of places available).

Studentsvisitingthe Chamberof DeputiesLibrary

The “Aldo Moro” RoomOn 13th May 2008, the historic “Yellow Room”was re-named the “Aldo Moro Room” tocommemorate the assassinated statesman andhis security officers. The room is full of worksof art, including the canvas depicting the Weddingat Cana (attributed to the painter Veronese andhis school) and a portrait of Napoleon by Appiani.

The Horseman’s RoomThis large reception room adjacent to the AldoMoro Room is customarily used to welcomeforeign delegations. It takes its name from aneighteenth-century painting from the ModeneseSchool depicting the marquis Bonifacio Rangonion horseback.

The Presidents’ GalleryThis wide corridor has furnishings designedby Ernesto Basile. It displays portraits of theSpeakers of the pre-unification Parliaments aswell as the Presidents of the Chamber underthe Kingdom of Italy and the Italian Republic.

The Courtyard of HonourThe original semi-circular Courtyard was builtby Carlo Fontana to complete Bernini’s project.It was redesigned in its present square shapeby the architect Ernesto Basile when the buildingwas extended and the Plenary Hall was built.

The Corridor of the BustsWinding round three sides of the Courtyard ofHonour, the corridor displays busts of the mostfamous political figures in the history of theRisorgimento and post-unification Italy. Theseinclude Garibaldi, Mazzini, Cavour and Cattaneo.Another neighbouring corridor hosts busts ofthe main figures in the history of the Republic.

VISITING MONTECITORIO

The Globe RoomThe room takes its name from the ancient globeof the world overlooking the room. Formerlyhousing the Chamber’s Library (now situatedin the “Santa Maria sopra Minerva” Complex),it has been restored and equipped with thelatest multimedia and information technology.

Legislative ArchivesThese are situated on the same floor as thePlenary Hall and house all the parliamentarydocuments and reports.

The Hall of the She-WolfCharacterized by a bronze sculpture constitutinga copy of the Capitoline She-Wolf (the originalis kept in the Capitoline Museums), this is theroom in which the result of the institutionalreferendum marking the birth of the Republicwas announced on 10th June 1946.

The Queen’s HallWhen Italy was a Kingdom, the roomaccommodated the Queen and her retinue whilethey waited for the King to finish making theCrown Speech opening a new Parliamentarysession. Decorated with very fine tapestries, itis usually used today for cultural initiativesorganised by the Chamber of Deputies.

Works of Art(Painted frieze by G.A. Sartorio - detail)The Chamber of Deputies has over onethousand paintings and sculptures, severalthousand engravings and prints, numerousarchaeological finds and other treasures suchas clocks, period furniture and fine sixteenth-century tapestries.

The Transatlantic LobbyThis spacious hall next to the Plenary Hall hasa polychrome Sicilian marble floor andfurnishings designed by Ernesto Basile. Theceiling was executed by the Ducrot companyof Palermo (specialists in maritime decoration)and evokes the decoration of the greattransoceanic liners. Also known as the “Corridorof the Lost Steps”, it is the place whereMembers of Parliament take a break betweenone sitting and another and can meet theaccredited journalists.

The Plenary HallThe Plenary Hall is where the House of theChamber of Deputies meets and is the highestexpression of Ernesto Basile’s work atMontecitorio. Designed in the early twentiethcentury, it is fully panelled in oak andsurmounted by Giovanni Beltrami’s lofty ArtNouveau stained-glass velarium. It is adornedby two famous works of art: the large bronzepanel by Davide Calandra depicting theglorification of the Savoyard dynasty and thegreat painted frieze by Giulio Aristide Sartoriodedicated to the history of the Italian people.

1 Entrance in Piazza Montecitorio2 The Queen’s Hall3 The Corridor of the Busts4 The Fontana portico5 Stained-glass velarium and ceiling of the Plenary Hall6 Painted frieze by G.A. Sartorio7 The Courtyard of Honour

8 The Transatlantic Lobby 9 Entrance in Piazza del Parlamento10 The Hall of the She-Wolf11 The Aldo Moro Room12 The Plenary Hall

PALAZZO MONTECITORIO:

The Globe RoomThe room takes its name from the ancient globeof the world overlooking the room. Formerlyhousing the Chamber’s Library (now situatedin the “Santa Maria sopra Minerva” Complex),it has been restored and equipped with thelatest multimedia and information technology.

Legislative ArchivesThese are situated on the same floor as thePlenary Hall and house all the parliamentarydocuments and reports.

The Hall of the She-WolfCharacterized by a bronze sculpture constitutinga copy of the Capitoline She-Wolf (the originalis kept in the Capitoline Museums), this is theroom in which the result of the institutionalreferendum marking the birth of the Republicwas announced on 10th June 1946.

The Queen’s HallWhen Italy was a Kingdom, the roomaccommodated the Queen and her retinue whilethey waited for the King to finish making theCrown Speech opening a new Parliamentarysession. Decorated with very fine tapestries, itis usually used today for cultural initiativesorganised by the Chamber of Deputies.

Works of Art(Painted frieze by G.A. Sartorio - detail)The Chamber of Deputies has over onethousand paintings and sculptures, severalthousand engravings and prints, numerousarchaeological finds and other treasures suchas clocks, period furniture and fine sixteenth-century tapestries.

The Transatlantic LobbyThis spacious hall next to the Plenary Hall hasa polychrome Sicilian marble floor andfurnishings designed by Ernesto Basile. Theceiling was executed by the Ducrot companyof Palermo (specialists in maritime decoration)and evokes the decoration of the greattransoceanic liners. Also known as the “Corridorof the Lost Steps”, it is the place whereMembers of Parliament take a break betweenone sitting and another and can meet theaccredited journalists.

The Plenary HallThe Plenary Hall is where the House of theChamber of Deputies meets and is the highestexpression of Ernesto Basile’s work atMontecitorio. Designed in the early twentiethcentury, it is fully panelled in oak andsurmounted by Giovanni Beltrami’s lofty ArtNouveau stained-glass velarium. It is adornedby two famous works of art: the large bronzepanel by Davide Calandra depicting theglorification of the Savoyard dynasty and thegreat painted frieze by Giulio Aristide Sartoriodedicated to the history of the Italian people.

1 Entrance in Piazza Montecitorio2 The Queen’s Hall3 The Corridor of the Busts4 The Fontana portico5 Stained-glass velarium and ceiling of the Plenary Hall6 Painted frieze by G.A. Sartorio7 The Courtyard of Honour

8 The Transatlantic Lobby 9 Entrance in Piazza del Parlamento10 The Hall of the She-Wolf11 The Aldo Moro Room12 The Plenary Hall

PALAZZO MONTECITORIO:

1 Entrance in Piazza Montecitorio2 The Queen’s Hall3 The Corridor of the Busts4 The Fontana portico5 Stained-glass velarium and ceiling of the Plenary Hall6 Painted frieze by G.A. Sartorio7 The Courtyard of Honour

8 The Transatlantic Lobby 9 Entrance in Piazza del Parlamento10 The Hall of the She-Wolf11 The Aldo Moro Room12 The Plenary Hall

PALAZZO MONTECITORIO:

The Plenary HallThe Plenary Hall is where the House of theChamber of Deputies meets and is the highestexpression of Ernesto Basile’s work atMontecitorio. Designed in the early twentiethcentury, it is fully panelled in oak andsurmounted by Giovanni Beltrami’s lofty ArtNouveau stained-glass velarium. It is adornedby two famous works of art: the large bronzepanel by Davide Calandra depicting theglorification of the Savoyard dynasty and thegreat painted frieze by Giulio Aristide Sartoriodedicated to the history of the Italian people.