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I thought it would be nice to begin wrapping up my blog posts about piazzas in Rome by defining what a space needs to have to be considered a piazza. I thought about this the other day on my 20 minute walk home from class because in that time I passed at least ten areas that are considered piazzas. All of these spaces were extremely different though. Some were incredibly large, full of tourists, restaurants, and entertainers while others were simply a place for cars to park.
It turns out that to be considered a piazza there just needs to be an open public space. There are no specific guidelines besides that. Although piazzas are typical in Italy, they are found in other regions and can be compared to the Spanish plaza.
Piazzas are used for social gatherings and entertainment. They are the center of Italian life and are almost always filled with people engaging with one another and the culture around them. Piazza Navona, Piazza di Spagna, and Piazza del Popolo are three of the largest piazzas in Rome and my three favorite.They are big tourist attractions but are also frequented by locals as well. Some of my favorite memories of the past seven weeks have occurred in these piazzas.
In Piazza Navona, at night, I was able to see Tom Hanks and Ron Howard during the filming of Angels and Demons. I was only twenty feet from two of the biggest names in Hollywood. It was something I will remember for the rest of my life. I can not wait for the film to come out in theaters so that I can recognize different places in Rome that appear and to see the scene that I saw them film.
In Piazza di Spagna, at night, most of the people in the CAS program and myself gathered to experience the piazza at night on the steps. It was a great way for everyone to bond together, outside under the clear night's sky. It was interesting to see how we interacted with each other compared to the Italian teenagers. Besides the obvious clothing attire difference, I found the Italians to be enjoying themselves in much smaller groups than we were. The live music they provided us with though was wonderful and all in English!
"Piazza." Wikipedia. 22 Jan 2008. 25 Jun 2008. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piazza.
The beginning of your tour of Piazzas in Rome starts you at Capitol Hill, in Piazza del Campidoglio. Here, like I said 
before, are the two buildings, Palazzo Nuovo and Palazzo dei Conservatori, which comprise the Capitoline Museums. The museums contain various paintings and sculptures. Some of the highlighted works include the Red Faun, Dying Galatian, Medusa, and the She-Wolf.
The Piazza Venezia contains the Palazzo Venezia and Museum and the Victor Emmanuel Monument. In the Palazzo Venezia, which was constructed "in 1455-64 for the Venetian cardinal Peitro Barbo", you can view collections of art of early Renaissance paintings and sculptures, tapestries, and statues. Before you go to the museum check to see if any temporary exhibitions are going to be held, so you can make sure to see them.
In center of Piazza di Spagna you will find the Baraccia fountain and the famous stairs that lead you to Trinita dei Monti, a 16th-century church. From here you will be able to have one of the greatest views of the entire city. In you are looking for a cafe to relax in and enjoy some croissants or try a cappuccino, Cafe Greco is the place to go. It is located at the corner where Via Condotti and Via di Propaganda meet. It is an extremely elaborate cafe with deep, rich red walls and dark wood furniture. Before you leave the piazza, try to stop at the Keats-Shelley Memorial House. It is a memorial library that honors John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley, two English Romantic poets.
The final stop is Piazza del Popolo, a grand oval shaped piazza which used to be home to many public executions. The Piazza has been gradually transformed over the years
since its beginning to what it looks like today. There is "two twin Neo-Classical church facades" that sandwich Porta del Popolo with an Egyptian obelisk in the center. On a nice day you will find the piazza packed with cars, people, vendors, and restaurants. EyeWitness Guide (pgs 66, 130-1, 134, 137)
The start of your guided tour to piazzas in Rome will begin at Capitol Hill by walking up Michelangelo's Cordonata staircase. Here you will reach Piazza del Compidoglio. In this piazza you will be surrounded by three buildings, which comprise the Capitoline Museum.
While standing with the staircase to your back, walk left on Via di San Pietro in Carcere. On your left you should pass Santa Maria in Aracoli, which is a church that houses the "15th-century fresco of the Funeral of St. Bernardino by Pinturicchio". Following the road to the left you will see Piazza Venezia. You will know you are at the right piazza when you see the Victor Emmanuel Monument located at the top of the stairs.
To reach the next location, Piazza di Spagna, simply walk north on Via del Corso, passing the Museo del Corso on your left. At Via Condotti turn right ant continue walking down the street. Take note that this street contains some of the best shopping in all of Rome and even the world. I suggest walking slowly and window shopping but account for this extra time if you are meeting people at the next location. When you reach the end of Via Condotti, you will run right into Piazza di Spagna. While in the piazza you may want to visit Trinita de Monti, a 16th-century church.
To get to your final piazza simply walk north on Via del Babuino. Continue on the road until you walk into Piazza del Popolo. This is your final destination on the guided tour of piazzas in Rome. You will find yourself in the northern part of the city of Rome, so you may want to take the metro back to your hotel or apartment. There is a metro stop located just to the right of the piazza.
When one thinks of Piazza Navona, it usually brings to mind a scene full of people, art, and food. In the morning time, however, things are quite different. Since the market was moved to Campo de' Fiori, Piazza Navona is rather barren in the mornings.
The usual crowds of tourists are no where in site. The artists that fill the North end of the piazza have yet to arrive and begin their days work. The metal gates are still covering the doorways to the restaurants and their tables and chairs sit empty under the umbrellas. There are only a few people walking their dogs through the piazza. Most of them are simply passing through on their way to somewhere else.
The peacefulness of the empty space allows one to really admire the buildings and fountains in the piazza. When it is full of people and artists it is hard to see everything the space itself has to offer. The rushing water of the fountains takes over the piazza instead of the usual sounds of tourists and musicians.
In the morning Piazza Navona becomes the perfect place to gather your thoughts before you delve into the hectic city of Rome.
The other week I spent an hour or so just observing the people and activities occurring in Piazza della Rotonda. This particular piazza is almost always full of eager tourists on their way to the Pantheon or one of the many restaurants that surround the water fountain in the middle.
I sat for twenty minutes on the step of the fountain with the sun beating down on my face as I feverishly observed and wrote about what I saw.
Looking in the direction of the Pantheon my eyes were fixated on the horse and buggy drivers. They, unlike every other person in the piazza trying to make money off of the tourists, were lounging in their buggy without a care in the world. The two rather plump men with cigarettes dangling from their mouths were playing cards on the seats of their buggy.
Not once did I see them run up to a tourist or shout for them to come close to hear about their buggy ride. They seemed content just playing cards with each other, not making any money. After a few hands of their game of choice, both men hopped into their respective buggies and trotted off out of the piazza.
I guess they are either used to not being well received by tourists at that time of day in Piazza della Rotonda or they just didn't need to make a lot of money that day. Either way I was surprised by their lax behavior.
Campo de' Fiori, which literally means field of flowers, is home to one of the nicest fruit and vegetable markets I have seen so far in Rome. Surrounding the center statue, philosopher Giordano Bruno, are restaurants, shops, bars, and many grand buildings. There is no fountain in this piazza, which is a rare thing to find in Rome.
In the time of medieval and Renaissance Rome, Campo de' Fiori was the place for cardinals and noblemen to interact with fishmongers and foreigners. Today, you can still see men in expensive suits passing through or chatting with various people, while school kids relax on the base of the center statue. There are people of all social classes that congregate in this piazza, either to eat, drink, shop, or to just simply socialize.
It seems that time does not matter at Campo de' Fiori because I have been there morning, noon, and night and it is always full of people. In the afternoon, the market fills the center of the piazza with so much life, color, and wonderful smells. The fruit, although a bit pricey, is a delicious treat on a hot day!
Eyewitness book
