Best Western
Hotel Viterbo

Caffè Schenardi

: : Map of Viterbo : : Click for a larger view Download PDF

: : Map of Province : : Click for a larger view Download PDF

The building that hosts the halls of "Gran Café Schenardi" date back to the 15th century.
The building once belonged to Girolano of Carbognano, municipal secretary from 1489 to 1493, and later was seat to a bank founded by Chigi up until 1528.

The Boninsegna and the Bonelli families sub entered into the property of the palace and management of the bank which were so closely related that a unique bipartite coat of arms was created and can still be seen today on the façade.
In the centuries that followed the property passed through the hands of different illustrious Viterbo families up until 1798, the year in which the Roman, Giuseppe Cassani, area contractor, bought it and transformed it into the Albergo Reale (Royal Hotel).

Business at the historical café began in 1818 when Raffaele Schenardi bought the already existing Albergo Reale, giving the environment a new conception; that of Café.

The phenomenon quickly spread to major Italian cities and changed the traditional meeting place; from private studios, intellectual and political debates were taken to public environments and so the "cafés" began to witness facts, events, love stories, secrets and complots.

: : Virtual Tours : :

: : Photo Gallery : :