Holiday apartment "Il nido al Colosseo"

In the ancient times, the hill was called Querquetulano because was covered by oaks (in Italian Querce), while only later was called Celio in honour of Celio Vibenna, Etruscan commander that, according to the tradition, helped the future sixth King of Rome Servio Tullio, in the conquest of the hill.

In the VI century b.C. Servio Tullio built the first city wall where, in the area of Celio, opened the Gates: Celimontana, corresponding to the actual Dolabella Arch (where started the old Via Celimontana, that following the route of Via S. Stefano Rotondo, Via D. Fontana and  Via Statilia lead to the actual Major Gate), Querquetulana (where started the old Via Tuscolana, corresponding to today’s Via dei Ss. Quattro) and Capena (where started the old Via Appia).

The hill was divided into three parts: the Coelius (where actually is the Basilica of Ss. Giovanni e Paolo), the Coeliolus (the area where is the church of Ss. Quattro Coronati) with the Succusa in between. Fed from various aqueducts, the hill was occupied by private villas, temples (of Divo Claudio, of Ercole Vincitore, of Minerva Capta), public buildings ("Macellum Magnum") and buildings with auxiliary functions to the games taking place in the Colosseum: the "Ludi" (the gladiators' barracks, of which between Via Labicana and Via S. Giovanni in Laterano is possible to see the "Ludus Magnus"), the "Saniarium" (hospital) and the "Spoliarium" (morgue).

With the realization of the Aurelian Wall, at the end of III century a.C., the hill was completely included within the city wall boundaries.

The fall of the Roman Empire (476 a.C.) caused a progressive depopulation of the hill which continued also during the Middle Age and Renaissance, giving it a rural appearance. Only along Via S. Giovanni in Laterano the hill preserved an urban aspect, this because Via S. Giovanni in Laterano was along the way of the papal processions to the Basilica of S. Giovanni.

Around 1600, the constructing activity resumed, even if limited to the realization of private villas such as the actual Villa Celimontana and Villa Casali (then demolished to build the Military hospital), the rest remained occupied by vineyards and agricultural fields.

This situation remained unchanged until the second half of the 1800, when the hill was the subject of urban expansion, facilitated by the availability of building area near the city centre. So it was that the appearance of the neighbourhood was gradually modified, through the construction of the Military Hospital and the buildings to be used for housing, until it reached its present urban aspect.