Piazza Navona, Rome | Italy / Photo by admin

The stadium was inaugurated by the Emperor Domitian in the year of 86 on the occasion of the Games in the Greek style. At the time of its completion could carry up to 30,000 spectators. In 1377 the current Pope began with a large urban development of this area. Later in 1477, Pope Sixtus IV moved the Central Market here, which operated for 390 years long. Even today you can see the traditional Christmas markets with toys and Christmas decorations here.

Square undergone the greatest change in 1644, when Pope Innocent X. initiated an extensive program of turning the city into Baroque style. And it was nothing else than Piazza Navona that he took for his new family residence. His plan was to build up a fountain and the church, and it was done within the next ten years.

Beautiful baroque square Piazza Navona is now a big tourist attraction, it is full of visitors during the day as well as night. In the shadow of the beautiful works of art you can sit for a cup of coffee, enjoy a glass of wine or enjoy some of Italian great specialities.

Fontana del Moro, Piazza Navona, Rome, Italy by Abir Anwar

Among the most important monuments in the square include two magnificent fountains made by sculptor Bernini. At the southern end of the square is the Fontana del Moro (Fountain of the Moors), which construction started by Giacomo della Porta, but was finished by Bernini.

In the middle of the square you can see the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers), showing the four rivers, as symbols of the four continents known at that time. In each corner is a statue of the man, that represent four different rivers (Nile in Africa, Ganges in Asia, Danube in Europe and Río de la Plata in America. The fountain was completed in 1651. In the northern part of the Piazza Navona is another smaller fountain – Fontana del Nettuno (Neptune fountain), which is another work of the sculptor Giacomo della Porta.

Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, Piazza Navona, Rome, Italy by Ruben Charles

A beautiful monument is also the Church of St. Agnes (Sant’Agnese in Agone) standing on the west side of the square. It was built on the place where the Saint Agnes was martyred. This only thirteen years old Christian girl was stripped naked on the square because she did not want to marry a pagan – the son of a Roman official. But according to the legend, a miracle happened as she prayed, her hair grew and covered her body.

Agnes was, however, later in 304 AD, executed by Diocletian during the persecution of Christianity. The church now boasts façade from 1653, which is the work of Bernini’s big rival, Francesco Borromini.

In the neighbourhood of the church is one of the many palaces of Innocent X., spacious Palazzo Pamphili with 1,000 rooms, which is currently occupied by the Brazilian embassy. In one part of the palace is private art collection of Pamphili family, which belonged to the most patrician families in medieval Rome. Pope Innocent X was an important member of this family.

Piazza Navona is now a popular place for street artists, painters and musicians. In the evening the square comes alive with tourists and one can have a unique opportunity to experience a typical Italian night.

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In front of the palace you can see a column of the Immaculate, which was built in 1856 by Pope Pius IX. to commemorate the dogma of the immaculate conception. The column dates back to the ancient times, it was found in excavations in 1777, under a monastery. It is now topped with a statue of Virgin Mary.

View Piazza di Spagna – one of the most popular meeting points in Rome Italy in a larger map

On the south side of the Piazza di Spagna there is the Palazzo di Propaganda Fide, the seat of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

In the middle of the Piazza di Spagna rises Fontana della Barcaccia built in 1629 by Pietro Bernini. From this fountain you can step up Baroque Scalinata della Trinita dei Monti (the Spanish Steps), which were built in the years 1723-1726 at the request of a French diplomat Stephen Gouffiera. The architects were Francesco de Sanctis and Alessandro Specchi. The elegant staircase consists of 137 steps and has an irregular albeit symmetric structure. It is beautiful especially in May, when it is decorated with azaleas. The steps are usually very crowded; it attracts tourists as well as locals who use it as a gathering place.

Stairs lead to the French church Trinita dei Monti, built from 1495 to 1585 with the support of the French kings. In front of the church you can see the obelisk of 1788 which is the smallest of Rome’s obelisks. It is an ancient copy of Egyptian original, which formerly stood in the Gardens of Sallust.

View Piazza di Spagna – one of the most popular meeting points in Rome Italy in a larger map

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