Piazza Navona
The Piazza Navona is one of the characteristic places of Baroque Rome in the district Parione.
The Ancient Stadium
From Julius Caesar BC was here first, rather makeshift stadium for games Greek type, ie athletic competitions built 46 on the Campus Martius.
Emperor Domitian built this stadium 85 AD from monumental. It had the size of 275 times 106 meters, offering over 30,000 spectators. The outside was surrounded on the ground floor with arcades Travertinpilastern. From the second floor no remains are archaeologically detectable. The stadium was with a number of works of art, primarily Greek style, decorated. An excavated torso, the so-called Pasquino is situated nearby.
Although these bloodless, athletics games so popular were not like the gladiator fights, but they were encouraged by many emperors. The so-called Capitoline Agon (Greek competition ) was held regularly until at least the 4th century. By this term Agon also the name derives probably Navona. It developed from in agone over n ' agone to Navona. He also lives on in agone in the church of Sant ' Agnese.
Remains of the ancient building have been made visible in Via Zanardelli. Some arches of the ancient stadium can be found below Sant ' Agnese in Agnone.
The space in the middle ages
A first church was built inside the stadium at the site where the Holy Agnes the legend had suffered after their martyrdom. Gradually houses were built in the substructures of the stadium bleachers, the arena was a place that was used inter alia for horse racing. Since the foundations and partly the outer walls of the stadium for the medieval houses were reused, but the shape of the Arena lasts until today (see also Theatre of Pompey ).
1477 Pope Sixtus IV moved the market from the Capitol here. 1495 Finally, the square was paved.
The Baroque square - The Forum Pamphili
1470 acquired Antonio Pamphili three houses in the southwest corner of the square. When in 1644 his descendant Giovanni Battista Pamphili Pope Innocent X ( 1644-55 ) was elected, were Girolamo Rainaldi and later Francesco Borromini commissioned to develop the property to the new Palazzo Pamphili. Girolamo Rainaldi built the facade. The adjoining gallery ( ceiling frescoes by Pietro da Cortona), the great hall and the oval staircase created Francesco Borromini. Innocent X gave the palace his sister Olimpia Maidalchini that exerted great influence on him politically. Already since 1920, the palace is the seat of the Brazilian embassy. He is, however, only since 1961, the Brazilian government. In one part of the palace also the Philharmonic Academy is housed in the 19th century.
Donna Olimpia planned the reconstruction of the entire square to forum Pamphili, modeled after the ancient Roman Forum. These extended Borromini the ancient aqueduct "Aqua Virgo" here, so that Bernini in 1649 in the middle of the square the Four Rivers ( Fontana dei Quattro Rivers ) could create. Four colossal male figures symbolize the largest rivers of the known four continents (Danube, Nile, Ganges and Rio de la Plata). Store at the foot of a obelisk, which was brought from the Circus of Maxentius on the Via Appia, to equalize the overall plant an ancient Circus. The two older wells, the Fontana del Moro in the south and the Neptune fountain to the north, which was built from 1574 Giacomo della Porta, was restyled by Bernini. However, their final appearance they got until the 19th century
From 1652 to the Saint Agnes Church was rebuilt in agone. Architects Girolamo and Carlo Rainaldi and Borromini who created 1653-57 dome and facade. The two high transverse oval towers and the mighty dome form in interaction with the sculptural fountain and the spacious piazza one of the finest ensembles of Italian city architecture. The church should be the place of the grave Pamphili.
With the death of Innocent remained Forum Pamphili unfinished. Olimpia Maidalchini was banished by Alexander VII, the following Pope, of Rome, and invested with the tiny principality of San Martino. The village of San Martino al Cimino made them by Borromini and Bernini completely new build. It is an exact copy of the Piazza Navona in shape and dimensions.
Other buildings
Opposite the Palazzo Pamphili is the church of Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore, a Roman titular church, which was built in the 12th century in the ruins of the stadium. It was built by King Ferdinand III. donated by Castile and expanded, especially by the Spanish popes again and again. Until 1818, it was National Church of Spain. Its present appearance dates from the 19th century by the architect Luca Carimini.
The south side of the square is determined by the Palazzo Braschi. He was the last palace for a Pope Pius VI 1792. built on the site of the Palazzo Orsini from the 15th century. Today it houses the Museo di Roma. On one of the corners is the Pasquino, the most famous of the so-called talking statues of Rome.
Beside him, the Palazzo Lancellotti - Torres stands, which was in the 16th century by Ludovico Torres, originally from Málaga Archbishop of Salerno, built. Together with the church of Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore, and the refuge for Spanish pilgrims, he formed a Spanish island in the Piazza Navona.
At all times the Piazza Navona was a popular venue for fairs, markets and festivals. Thus, the Giostra del Saracino, a medieval equestrian tournament. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Romans enjoyed on Saturdays in August at the Inondate. For this was allowed to overflow the wells, so that young and old splashing in water and could have fun.
Today, the market Befana di piazza Navona takes place only during the Christmas period until January 6, sold on the especially toys. Traditionally brings in Rome, the Befana gifts at Epiphany.
The place throughout the year is heavily frequented by tourists. Consequently, the square of souvenir shops and tourist cafes is determined.