On October 29, Rino Gaetano would have turned 76: in Monte Sacro, the building where he lived still bears a plaque in his memory

Save

Share

Rachele Orsoni

 –  Staff Writer

 ·  November 10, 2026

Add us as a preferred source

Have you ever noticed the plaque at number 53 on Via Nomentana Nuova? It commemorates the fact that Rino Gaetano lived in this building in Monte Sacro from 1970 until his death. On October 29, the singer-songwriter would have turned 76: his connection to Rome is still evident in a specific address and in the neighborhood spots that found their way into his songs.

A basement apartment and his mother at the front desk: what Rino Gaetano’s home was like

In 1960, the Gaetano family moved to Rome into a small basement apartment in a building where the singer’s mother worked as the concierge and managed the building’s administration.

After spending several years at the seminary in Narni, Rino returned to the capital and, in 1970, settled at 53 Via Nomentana Nuova, where he remained until his death in 1981. The official biography describes Monte Sacro as the neighborhood where he matured as an artist and experienced many moments of his life.

Il Bar del Barone and the No. 60 night bus find their way into his songs

His connection to Monte Sacro is also reflected in his music. The Bar del Barone, in Piazza Monte Baldo, was a hangout for Rino and his friends; the bar and the No. 60 night bus are mentioned in the song “Tu, forse non essenzialmente tu.” Everyday details of the neighborhood thus became part of the personal geography that resurfaces in his songs.

The plaque on the building’s facade

The commemorative plaque was unveiled on June 7, 2011, marking the 30th anniversary of Gaetano’s death. It is located on the building’s facade, to the right of the main entrance. The inscription commemorates the years the singer-songwriter spent there and concludes with the title of one of his best-known songs, Ma il cielo è sempre più blu (But the Sky Is Always Bluer).

Rino Gaetano is also featured in the Candlelight program

It is also—and above all—his music that keeps the connection with the singer-songwriter alive. The singer-songwriter left behind timeless songs such as “Gianna,” included in the program “Candlelight: Lucio Dalla and Other Italian Singer-Songwriters.” The song will be performed on the piano alongside hits by Dalla and other icons of Italian music, in a candlelit concert lasting approximately 65 minutes. The event will take place at the TH Roma – Carpegna Palace Hotel, with dates from November 21 to May 22, 2027.