Rome’s famed Baroque square that has been home to Popes and film stars alike.
Originally a stadium built in the 1st century for athletics and chariot racing, Piazza Navona was reworked in the 15th century and then added to in the 17th century to take on its present form consisting of Baroque palaces, lavish churches, three spectacular fountains and several smart cafés and restaurants.In the centre of the square stands the celebrated Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of Four Rivers), which depicts four river gods that represent the Nile, Danube, Ganges and Rio de la Plata or the four continents through which papal authority had spread, all topped by the Obelisk of Domitian and built by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1651. Then at the northern end is the Fontana di Nettuno (Fountain of Neptune), which contains a statue of the Roman god of water fighting an octopus, and at the southern end is the Fontana del Moro (the Moor Fountain) portraying a Moor wrestling a dolphin surrounded by four Tritons. Both fountains were created by Giacomo della Porta in 1574 and 1575 respectively, however, the statues of Neptune and the various sea creatures and were added in the 19th century.The most imposing building in the square is the Church of Sant'Agnese in Agone, rebuilt by Pope Innocent X whose palace, the Palazzo Pamphili now the Brazilian Embassy, is adjacent to the church which contains the skull of the martyr St. Agnes. The church is boasts sumptuous decorations by Ciro Ferri and Sebastiano Corbellini and a beautiful domed ceiling.The square has featured in numerous films including the recent thriller Angels & Demons adapted from the Dan Brown novel of the same name, the 1970 adaptation of Joseph Heller’s novel Catch-22 and Sophia Loren’s character in the 1964 film Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow lived in an apartment overlooking the square.Piazza Navona today is enjoyed by Romans and tourists alike who gather there to enjoy the street entertainments, buy a souvenir or simply take a break from pounding the streets to have a coffee and a tartufo (an Italian ice-cream dessert).Piazza Navona is in the heart of Rome and is close to many of the city’s most famous sights. It is easily reachable by Metro, bus or on foot.
