The Spanish Steps are at the centre of a diplomatic spat between Rome and Paris following a report by the French Court of Auditors.
The report has sparked controversy in the Italian capital. It claims the famous staircase was built using French funds in the early 18th century and maintained for decades by a French religious foundation, Pii Stabilimenti Della Francia. This claim ruffled feathers in Italy, where the Spanish Steps are one of Rome’s most iconic landmarks.
The report, which also critiques the management of five French churches in Rome, including Trinità dei Monti, asserts French ownership over the Spanish Steps, according to Italy’s RAI News. This assertion has raised eyebrows, given the historical and cultural significance of the staircase to Rome.
The Bilateral Agreement
France’s claims are rooted in a bilateral agreement between the French government and the Vatican. The foundation in question, Pieux Établissements de la France à Rome, manages a vast portfolio of property in the Italian capital. This arrangement dates back to 1790, when Pope Pius VI granted Cardinal François-Joachim de Pierre de Bernis the responsibility of managing French religious buildings in Rome.
The portfolio includes the renowned San Luigi dei Francesi, famous for its Caravaggio masterpieces, as well as other significant sites like Sant’Ivo dei Bretoni, Santi Claudio e Andrea dei Borgognoni, and San Nicola dei Lorenesi. In addition to these churches, the foundation also manages 13 historic buildings, including Villa Medici, home to the French Academy in Rome.
French-Managed Real Estate
The French-managed real estate in Rome includes around 180 rental properties, generating an annual revenue of €4.5 million. According to the French Court of Auditors, these funds are for maintenance of the French churches in Rome. However, the report criticises the foundation for not making adequate use of these assets.
The controversy surrounding the Spanish Steps stems from the fact the French cardinal Pierre Guérin de Tencin originially commissioned them and French diplomat Étienne Gueffier funded them. However, since the late 19th century, Rome and the Italian state have taken over the administration, restoration, and maintenance of the landmark.
Roman Reaction
Rome’s cultural heritage superintendent, Claudio Parisi Presicce, responded firmly to the French claims. “The Spanish Steps are a monumental place and of very high artistic value, but they are also a public passage and therefore without discussion an integral part of Rome, the capital of Italy,” he said.
Presicce clarified the French Court of Auditors has the right to assess the management of French religious assets in Rome. However, Rome’s municiapl authorities have been maintaining the Spanish Steps since the 20th century.
The most recent restoration of the Spanish Steps was in 2016, with a €1.5 million donation from the luxury brand Bulgari.
Political and Public Outcry
The French report has triggered outrage among Italian politicians and the public alike. Tourism minister Daniela Santanchè took to social media to express her frustration. In a post on X, she said, “What would France be without Italy? They cannot do without our luxury, our works of art, our beauty. But now they are exaggerating. They even want to take the Spanish Steps.”
Deputy president of the chamber of deputies, Fabio Rampelli, mocked the French claims, suggesting Italy should inspect the Louvre for works “stolen from Italy throughout history”. Similarly, outspoken art historian Vittorio Sgarbi joined the debate, stating that if France wants the Spanish Steps, “then we must reclaim all the paintings from the Louvre that Napoleon took away.”
French Response
Pierre Moscovici, president of the French Court of Auditors, was quick to downplay the situation. Speaking to news agency ANSA, he expressed surprise at the reaction in Italy. “I am truly very surprised that one can interpret and distort the meaning of a report from the French Court of Auditors,” he said.
Moscovici reassured Italians that the report merely seeks clarification on the management of French religious assets in Rome, and that such clarifications are always a positive step.
