Spagna Square Rome

Piazza di Spagna is one of the most beautiful squares in Rome. Dominating the famous Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti, or the Spanish Steps, is the church of the same name built in the sixteenth century. It is here that starts Via Sistina, the road leading directly to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.

The monumental stairway is one of the most impressive sights in Rome. Designed by Francesco de Sanctis, it was to be a creation in honour of the Christian Trinity. It is well worth visiting the Trinità dei Monti in the spring when the steps are delightfully bedecked with hundreds of azaleas, a tradition dating back to the 1950s.

Also in Piazza di Spagna is the Barcaccia, the famous Baroque fountain sculpted by Bernini. It was built in memory of the flood that deluged Rome at the end of the 16th century and the barcacce, boats used for transporting goods that allowed people to reach the point of the fountain from the river Tiber.

Many artists continue to frequent the square which, for a long time now, has been the cultural and tourist hub of Rome.

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