Piazza Navona

Piazza Navona

Piazza Navona is one of the favorite meeting places of Romans and visitors to the city until late at night. The outline of the long-stretched square echoes the outline of Domitian’s ancient stadium beneath it.

General information

The square is decorated with three fountains: the Fontana del Moro (Fountain of the Moor), the Fontana del Nettuno (Fountain of Neptune) and the Fontana dei Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers) by Bernini, located in the center of the square.

The square is also home to the church of Sant’Agnese in Agone, a project of Bernini’s rival Borromini; adjacent to the church is the Palazzo Pamphili, also by Borromini, built in the 17th century. Nearby is the church of Santa Marnia dell’Anima, belonging to the community of German Catholics in Rome; Pope Adrian VI, a native of Utrecht, the last non-Italian pope long before Pope John Paul II, is buried there.

Piazza Navona has long been a favorite place for fairs, festivals, and recreation for Romans. In the Middle Ages, for example, it was the site of a tournament, the Giostra del Saracino. Andrea Fulvio, a Renaissance humanist, and other 16th century authors described lavish carnival processions through the square; in 1492, the Spaniards held a large celebration at their national church, San Giacomo dela Spagnoli, after the conquest of Granada.

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In the 17th and 18th centuries, on weekends in August, the square was flooded to cool down during the hottest month of the year: fountains were deliberately overflowing with water for this purpose.

In August 1477, by order of the Chamberlain Cardinal Guillaume d’Estouteville, the market, formerly located on the Capitoline Hill, was moved here, and it remained in the square until 1869, when it was moved to Campo dei Fiori. The market, held every Wednesday, sold vegetables, fruit and other foodstuffs. Today, the square hosts a market at Christmas time – Befana di piazza Navona – where toys are sold. Many tourists visit the square year-round.