| All the city’s squares to admire:
Piazza di Spagna – This is maybe the most charming square
in the city. Its unique shape, that narrows in the middle, reminds
us of a butterfly. The square’s name comes from the fact that
the Spanish Embassy stood in the square in the 17th century. The
square is permanently full of tourists and as far back as 1600 it
was the favorite place for visitors to Rome from all over the world.
The steps that connect the Church of Trinità dei Monti to
Piazza di Spagna are amazing, a mixture of curves, straight line
and terraces, where it is possible to see the house of poets such
as Keats and Shelley (Keats-Shelley Memorial, info: 066784235).
Piazza Navona – This is a truly wonderful square to see. It
has an unusual, elongated oval shape that is the same as that of
the ancient Domiziano Stadium over which the square was built. The
predominating style is Baroque and there are so many monuments and
buildings to admire such as the Fontana dei Fiumi by Bernini, which
is the base of the Egyptian obelisk in the center; Palazzo Pamphili
and Fontana del Moro.
Piazza Venezia – This square was named in honor of the Republic
of Venice that opened up its embassy in this very square. Piazza
Venezia was unfortunately made famous when it became the stage for
Mussolini’s speeches that he pronounced from the balcony of
Palazzo Venezia, an imposing building that dates back to the second
half of the 15th century. The Vittoriano, dedicated to Vittorio
Emanuele II, is another important building.
Piazza del Popolo – This square is located at the top of the
triangle that is formed by three long streets: the central one is
the famous Via del Corso. At the center of the square there is an
obelisk that was brought to Rome by the Emperor Augustus after he
conquered Egypt. The magnificent Porta del Popolo has two identical
neoclassical buildings on each side of it.
Campidoglio – This hill next to Piazza Venezia has been a
seat of government since ancient times: religious ceremonies and
political discussions took place in the Temple of Jupiter on the
Capitol Hill. Today the Rome City Council meets in Palazzo Senatorio,
a wonderful example of Renaissance architecture. The square, which
is dominated by the Capitoline Museum, and the "Cordonata"
staircase were both designed by Michelangelo in the 16th century.
The fountains, everlasting works of art:
Trevi Fountain – The most majestic in Rome, and the most famous
throughout the world. The Trevi Fountain dominates a small square
in the heart of Rome and entered everyone’s imagination thanks
to the nighttime bathing scene with Anita Ekberg in the film "La
Dolce Vita" by Fellini. This huge Baroque construction, inspired
by sea mythology, took 30 years to built, starting in 1732, and
was started by Niccolò Salvi who did not live to see the
completion of his work. Legend says that anyone who throws a coin
into the fountain will return to the Eternal City.
Fontana del Tritone – Built by Bernini, this fountain is in
Piazza Barberini and was commissioned by the Barberini family in
1642. The fountain shows Triton who is blowing into a shell while
four dolphins hold him up.
Fontana della Barcaccia – This fountain is in Piazza di Spagna,
at the foot of the Spanish Steps (Scalinata di Trinità dei
Monti) and was built in 1629 by Bernini. The structure is reminiscent
of a boat sunk by water, in remembrance of the Tiber flood that
hit Rome in 1598.
Fontana dei Fiumi – This fountain is in the center of Piazza
Navona. It was designed by Bernini for Pope Innocent X. One of the
many obelisks that can be seen in Rome has been placed on top of
the fountain. The four giants sculpted around the fountain base
represent four rivers: the Ganges, the Danube, the Nile and Rio
della Plata.
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