Palazzo Spada is a Renaissance palace located in Rome, Italy, situated in the Piazza Capo di Ferro within the rione (district) of Regola. Originally constructed in the early 16th century, the building was commissioned by Cardinal Girolamo Capodiferro. Later, in the 1630s, it was acquired by Cardinal Bernardino Spada, after whom the palace is named. Under his patronage, the architect Francesco Borromini was commissioned to renovate parts of the building and its gardens.
One of the most notable architectural features of Palazzo Spada is the Borromini gallery, an art gallery designed with forced perspective to create an optical illusion. The colonnade appears to be much longer and the statue at the end appears life-sized, although in reality the gallery is only 8.6 meters long and the statue is less than one meter tall. This work is considered a masterpiece of perspective manipulation in Baroque architecture.
The palace now houses the Italian Council of State (Consiglio di Stato), a legal-administrative consultative body. The art gallery and courtyard are open to the public as a museum, managed by the Galleria Spada. The collection includes works by prominent Italian artists such as Fra Angelico, Titian, and Guido Reni.
The exterior façade was designed by Bartolomeo Baronino da Sebastiano, reflecting early Renaissance style, while later modifications incorporated Baroque elements. The building’s historical and architectural significance has made it a notable site for scholars and tourists interested in Renaissance and Baroque art and architecture.