Rome’s oldest coffee house was an ornate treasure. A bitter legal dispute has turned it into an empty eyesore

Rome —

For more than two centuries, the Antico Caffè Greco has been part of the cultural landscape of Rome. Authors and artists, movie stars and princesses — even cowboys — have all made the pilgrimage to Via dei Condotti, at the foot of the Spanish Steps, to soak up the storied atmosphere of the Italian capital’s oldest coffee house.

Last month, that all changed. The café, a favorite for Romans and tourists, shut its doors. Portraits of former clientele — including Wild West sharpshooter Buffalo Bill — were stripped from its walls; plush red velvet chairs, seating booths and bar stools removed; gilded porcelain tableware carried away.

The venue, as popular among Rome’s 19th-century bourgeoisie as it was with the 1960s “La Dolce Vita” in-crowd, became an empty shell.

Antico Caffè Gre