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 Navona - renovation of
the fountain 2007-08. by breughel,
3 more photos
First of all the large central fountain “Fontana dei Fiumi” of Bernin was in restoration. This marvellous fountain was hidden behind panels with some glazed openings. The unhappy tourist could only see some sculptures supported by scaffolding.
Since the summer of 2008 the marvellous central fountain is again visible, a great relief for those who love this piazza like me and were disappointed by what they saw.
My disappointment did not stop there, in December the beautiful perspective of the Piazza Navona is destroyed by fairground stalls mixing a fun fair and a kind of Christmas market without anything of the charm of the Christmas markets of Germany or Alsace.
Don't expect to sit at the nice terraces of the cafes or restaurants; they look at the back of the shacks.
On a sunny Sunday in February 2008 I came back with my wife. The last time she had been on the Piazza Navona was in the early nineties. Although the December fairground was gone she also felt very disappointed. She discovered in the sixties what was once a so romantic piazza. Now all romantic has gone at Piazza Navona and has left room for a commercial market.
Of course this is a personal totally subjective appreciation of persons who have seen this piazza before the great tourist invasion. I'm sure that most first visitors love the present lively Piazza Navona. Elder visitors have found other, still hidden, romantic places in Rome.
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Note - May 2008.
From comments received from much younger people than myself (so not influenced by romantic souvenirs of thirty or forty years ago) my disappointment appears to be shared not only because of the works at the main fountain but also because of the somewhat "seedy" aspect of the piazza.
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The fountain designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini is surmounted by a Roman obelisk topped by the papal dove, crest of Pope .
Bernini's scholars assisted in the execution of the central fountain of the rivers (Photo 2) Ganges, Nile, Danube and Rio de la Plata which represented (at that time) the four corners of the earth (apologies to the Aussies). The Bernini-Borromini rivalry is notorious and it has been said that explains the hand of Rio de la Plata, scared that the church built by Borromini might fall on him, and the Nile covering his head in order not to see the church of the rival. These gestures could also be interpreted as a symbol of mankind, scared and ignorant. The fountain, in fact, was designed and completed before Borromini received the commission for the Church of Santa Agnese.
Always crowded by tourists during the day and a center of night life, Piazza Navona was embellished at the end of XIXth century by the addition of the third fountain on the north side.
Bernini redesigned a previous basin by Giacomo della Porta adding the central statue "il Moro" (the Moor), which he personally sculpted (photo 3). Address: Piazza NavonaDirections: Rome Center
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Rome holds a very special attraction for me at sunrise. Even the most popular destination will unveil her heart to you at dawn - when it is quiet, solitary, with lingering traces of the previous night's revelry (photo 1). Strewn evidence of the racous nightlife will shortly give way to the artisan's easel. The commanding presence of the Church of Santa Agnese en Agone will open its doors to the devoted - not an unusual scene in Rome where revelry and reverence co-exist, seemingly oblivious to each other or, perhaps, choosing to ignore one another. Sunrise reveals the secrets of the night and you are privy to the transition. The absence of people provides an unobstructed view of the resident art - the rising sun baths the piazza in radiant light. Witness nature embellish art - changing the tint of travertine from moment to moment. I won't blink - won't miss a shade.
Photo 2 - Piazza Navona is bustling during the day and always a center of Rome's night life. The Piazza in daytime with artists and browsers with the Church of Santa Agnese in Agone in background.
Photo 3 - Piazza Navona was frequently flooded - nope, not by rain nor storm runoff or the Tevere -- by Romans themselves to provide fun for all! This plate by Vasi shows us Piazza Navona in summer when it was flooded to provide refreshment to the Romans - reminiscent of an ancient era when the Stadium of Domitianus was used for "naumachias" - combat boat games.
Photo 4 - Marcel's show early evening in summer - a "must see" especially for families - more detail on Local Customs tip
The Piazza was embellished at the end of 19th century by the third fountain on the north side. Pope Innocentius X, Giovanni Battista Pamphili 1572-1655, was elected in 1644. (More detail on the fountains in another tip). He was born in the family palace in Piazza Navona and is buried in the Church of Santa Agnese in Agon. This gives us a hint as to why he devoted effort and resources to transform the former vegetable market among the ruins of the Stadium of Domitianus into one of the most impressive piazzas in all of Rome. Address: Piazza NavonaDirections: Rome Center
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 Guess what's hidden in
this photo? Read my tip! by Lacristina
If spending extra for the view and scene offends you, see my tip on the neaby but almost hidden restaurant LaFocaccia where you can spend less but eat well.
The oval (but small) shape of the piazza follows the curves of the original stadium, built by Domitian. Originally called the Piazza "in Agone" for the contests he staged here ("agone" were classical Greek nude atheletic contests), the name was corrupted over the years from "in agone" to Navona.
However, the name of the beautiful Church, St. Agnes in Agone, remained unchanged. It's still being restored, but is now open to visitors.
Take a closer look at my photo of a detail of Bernini's Fountain of Four Rivers, which is in the center of the piazza. A bit of trivia with which you can amaze your friends (or not): the drain for the fountain is hidden in the mouth of the fish! Check it out for yourself. Leave a Comment
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 The Danube figure and the
church of Sant'Agnese by melissa_belLeave a Comment Address: Junction of Via della Cuccagna, Corsia Agonale,
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This piazza is a marvel of light and sculpture. It is exceptionally long and owes its shape to the ruins that formed it, for under the buildings that surround Piazza Navona are the remains of the Circus Domitianus, Domitian's stadium -- a part of which can be seen if you leave the piazza by the north exit and turn left. The piazza marks the area for the races in the stadium. It features many fine old buildings, a beautiful church and three stunning fountains.When we were there there was heaps of construction and renovation in progress so we could not enjoy the area much.
Another highlight on the Navona square is the church of Sant'Agnese in Agone. It was commissioned in 1652 by Pope Innocent X and built on the site where according to legend, St. Agnes was stripped naked, but miraculously saved from disgrace by extraordinary growth of hair. Directions: The Piazza Navona is situated in the historic center of Rome, west of the Pantheon. It is one of Rome's liveliest squares, with many outdoor cafes, restaurants and night clubs in the neighborhood.
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My favourite Piazza in Rome is Piazza Navona.
It is a large pretty oval Piazza, lined by with beautiful buildings including a church and lots of cafes, perfect for people watching.
There are 3 fountains, artists, street entertainers and plenty of tourists.
On a sunny day, grab a gelato from one of the numerous options and relax by one of the fountains.
Or why not take a seat at an outdoor table at the famous Tre Scalini and indulge in their sinful Tartufo.
The streets surrounding Piazza Navona are filled with interesting shops, cafes and bars. So take a wander and explore. Leave a Comment
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 the Fontana dei Fiumi by dmirebella
The main feature to this piazza is the central fountain by Bernini - the Fontana dei Fiumi.
The first thing obvious is the structure that supports an obelisk that was an ancient Roman imitation of the Egyptian form. All around this structure are four giant statues by Bernini's pupils following his designs representing the Nile, the Danube, the Ganges, and the Rio della Plata, each representing one of the four quarters of the world.
The piazza itself is flanked by open air cafes so there is plenty of opportunites to simply relax, enjoy the ambience and have a cuppa relaxing coffee *or tea if that catches your fancy*. There is also plenty of buskers around the piazza, a pleasant occupation to see.. a coupla euros and some of the mimes will even have do a stint or two for you!
Unfortunately, the piazza's gorgeous views is marred by the fact of the tons of street peddlers selling their wares - usually fake designer bags. There was this huge fight between an Italian peddler and a foreign one (I think its Indian and African) that knocked the Indian out cold and plenty of bloodshed on the Italian - the intervention of the local police did not dispel some of the fear of the piazza, especially at night! And this fight was in broad daylight even.
Don't let this tip stop you from going tho - jz be careful. Leave a Comment Address: Piazza NovonaDirections: Plenty of signs available as a guide fom the Pantheon.
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 by freddie18 |
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 Piazza Navona by tere1
It features many fine old buildings, a beautiful church and three stunning fountains.
Piazza Navona is an extremely lively place with open air cafes around it. During the summer there are numerous artists who draw or paint members of the public for a fee. The place is crowded each day and there are often buskers and sometimes mimes to entertain.
No visit to Rome is complete without a visit to this Piazza. Leave a Comment
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