Piazza Navona

Piazza Navona is undoubtedly one of the most famous and fascinating squares in Rome, a place where history, art, and daily life intertwine in a unique way. Located in the heart of the historic center, the square is a true open-air museum, a place that tells centuries of urban and artistic evolution of the eternal city. The elongated shape and dimensions of Piazza Navona reflect the ancient Stadium of Domitian, built around 85 AD, which could accommodate up to 30,000 spectators. The stadium was used for athletic competitions, and it is for this function that the square has maintained a rectangular shape with semicircular ends. Over time, the structures of the ancient stadium were incorporated into the surrounding buildings, but the square has retained its original shape, becoming one of the most beautiful Baroque places in Rome. At the center of the square stands the Fountain of the Four Rivers, a masterpiece by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, created between 1648 and 1651. The fountain represents the four great rivers of the known continents at the time: the Nile for Africa, the Ganges for Asia, the Danube for Europe, and the Rio de la Plata for the Americas. Each river figure is accompanied by exotic animals and plants, sculpted with incredible skill. In the center of the fountain stands an Egyptian obelisk, from the Circus of Maxentius, which Bernini harmoniously integrated into the composition. Opposite the Fountain of the Four Rivers is the church of Sant’Agnese in Agone, designed by Francesco Borromini. The church is a magnificent example of Baroque architecture, with a concave facade that seems to welcome visitors into the square. The church is named after the martyrdom of Saint Agnes, which tradition holds took place in the Stadium of Domitian. The facade is decorated with statues and reliefs depicting the life of the saint, and the interior is rich in works of art and sumptuous decorations. The square is enriched by two other splendid fountains. The Fountain of the Moor, located at the southern end, was designed by Giacomo della Porta in 1575 and later modified by Bernini, who added the statue of the Moor, a triton wrestling with a dolphin. The Fountain of Neptune, at the northern end of the square, was also designed by Giacomo della Porta, but the statues decorating it today were added only in the 19th century, completing the Baroque scenery of the square. Piazza Navona is also surrounded by historic palaces that enhance its beauty. The Palazzo Pamphilj, built for the Pamphilj family, is one of the most imposing buildings. Today it houses the embassy of Brazil, but originally it was the residence of Donna Olimpia Maidalchini, sister-in-law of Pope Innocent X, the pope who commissioned many of the works of art present in the square. The palace, with its monumental facade and sumptuous interiors, is a perfect example of Roman Baroque architecture. A curious anecdote concerns the rivalry between Bernini and Borromini, the two great Baroque architects who worked in the square. It is said that Bernini, in creating the Fountain of the Four Rivers, sculpted one of the figures in a pose of fear, with his hand raised as if to protect himself from the collapse of the facade of the church of Sant’Agnese in Agone, designed by his rival Borromini. However, this story is probably apocryphal, as the fountain was completed before the church.