Piazza Navona

The history of this place dates back to Julius Caesar himself. It is believed that he was the one who ordered its construction in 46 BC. Caesar loved to indulge the Romans with spectacles and therefore decided to build a stadium on this site, where gladiators were to compete. Later, during the reign of Emperor Titus Domitian, the stadium was expanded and reached impressive dimensions for those times: 275 by 106 meters, with a capacity of up to 15,000 people. The building was richly decorated both inside and out. Around the stadium, in its arches, there were stalls for trading and entertainment establishments.

The stadium’s second name is the Arena of Agones (from the Ancient Greek word "competition"). It is this term that Piazza Navona owes its name to.

The Middle Ages marked significant changes in the fate and purpose of Piazza Navona - houses were built in place of the stands, and the arena itself turned into a square, where religious festivals and processions were held. Churches were also built here, the first of which appeared on the site of a former brothel. This church was dedicated to Saint Agnes, a martyr highly venerated by Catholics.

Its luxurious and pompous appearance, which has survived to our times, was given to Piazza Navona in Rome during the Baroque period. This era is closely associated with the name of one of Rome's oldest families – the Pamphilj. Three ancient houses located on the square were acquired by Antonio Pamphilj in the 15th century, and two centuries later, Giovanni Battista Pamphilj, having become Pope Innocent X, envisioned building a family palace here. The project for the Palazzo Pamphilj was entrusted to the master Girolamo Rainaldi. The Pope presented the magnificent Roman mansion to his relative - Olimpia Maidalchini. She decided to reconstruct the entire Piazza Navona in the likeness of an ancient Roman forum. Thus, by her order, the Aqua Virgo aqueduct was laid out, from which the legendary sculptor Lorenzo Bernini, in 1649, erected the famous "Fountain of the Four Rivers" in Piazza Navona. Then, the master redesigned two other existing man-made ponds - the Moor and Neptune, although they acquired their current appearance much later.

The Palazzo Pamphili is an elegant Baroque building on Piazza Navona, executed in light colors. The building's facade was constructed under the direction of Rainaldi, while the gallery, oval staircase, and grand hall are creations of Borromini. The Palazzo Pamphili boasts 23 halls and a beautiful gallery that runs through the entire first floor of the mansion. The gallery's vaults were painted with frescoes by Pietro da Cortona in 1651. In 1672, the Church of Saint Agnese was annexed to the palace building, where Pope Innocent X was buried. Today, it houses the Embassy of Brazil.

Palazzo Braschi (Palazzo Braschi). This palace was built in 1792 for a relative of Pope Pius VI. The project was designed by architect Cosimo Morelli. During Napoleon's invasion, the finishing works had to be suspended, and the Braschi family lost their right to own the mansion.

After the end of World War II, it provided temporary shelter for hundreds of evacuated families, and in 1952, the building was turned into a museum. At the corner of the palazzo stands an ancient Roman statue known as Pasquino. It was discovered in 1501 during excavations, and it is believed that in the times of Domitian, the sculpture served as an adornment for the stadium walls.

Sant'Agnese in Agone is an elegant, snow-white basilica done in Baroque style. As mentioned earlier, in the mid-17th century, the very site was occupied by an ancient house of tolerance and a brothel.

The story of Saint Agnes tells of a young girl who embraced Christianity and took a vow of chastity. A powerful Roman official, desiring to have Agnes, after her refusal, threw her into confinement, where it became known about her faith. During the persecution of Christians, she was given a choice between sacrificing to the Roman gods or being sent to a brothel. Refusing to make the sacrifice, Agnes was sent to the brothel and stripped naked, but her hair miraculously grew long, covering her nudity. All the men who tried to defile her lost their strength, and the official who attempted to take her by force died, but was resurrected through Agnes's prayers. After being accused of witchcraft, an attempt to burn Agnes at the stake was unsuccessful, and she was killed by a soldier with a knife.

Another church on the square is the Church of Santa Maria del Sacro Cuore. The building is distinguished by its Neo-Romanesque architecture with a simple yet elegant façade made of white travertine. It has few decorative elements, making it look flat and unpretentious. However, its halls are adorned with frescoes by Raphael.

Piazza Navona in Rome is adorned with three Baroque fountains.

To the north of Piazza Navona stands the Fountain of Neptune. It was built in 1574 by Giacomo della Porta. The fountain's initial incarnation was modest and lacked any decoration. Only at the end of the 19th century was the simple stone basin filled with water decorated. A powerful figure of the sea god, striking an octopus with his trident, added character to the city's water feature. The sculptural group of the Fountain of Neptune was created by the architect Antonio della Bitta.

In the southern part of the square is the Fountain of the Moor. This man-made water body appeared in 1576 by the design of the architect Giacomo della Porta. Originally, four stone Tritons were installed in the waters of the fountain. However, in 1654, the Fountain of the Moor was remodeled by master Bernini. By the order of Olimpia Maidalchini, the fountain acquired more secular polish. At the center of the fountain grew a figure of a Moor wrestling with a dolphin.

In the center of the square is the Fountain of the Four Rivers by Bernini, 1647-1651: an Egyptian obelisk surrounded by statues symbolizing the main rivers of the four parts of the world - the Nile, Ganges, Danube, and La Plata. Francesco Baratta, Antonio Raggi, Andrea Lombardo, and Claude Poussin worked on the sculptures based on sketches by Bernini. The lion and the hippopotamus are also made of white marble by Lazzaro Morelli.

The obelisk itself, standing 16.54 meters tall, was made in Egypt from Aswan granite by order of Domitian. The hieroglyphs were added in Rome: a hymn to Emperor Domitian and the deified Vespasian and Titus. The modern base is made of red granite. The top of the obelisk is adorned with a metal dove holding an olive branch - the heraldic symbol of the Pamphili family.