Piazza Navona, Rome

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Another place I found by accident. I did want to see the Piazza Navona but I was looking for something else at the time. A nice businessman saw me looking at a map said "Piazza Navona?" and gestured to a street off to the side so I decided to take a look.

Another place I really enjoyed. The piazza was filled with all types of artists. The famous Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers) was covered but the beautiful Fontana Del Moro also by Bernini was running. It was a popular place but not over-crowded like other attractions. Very nice and relaxing. There were many restaurants at the edge of the square.

One late afternoon in Rome we decided to grab a bottle of wine and a couple of glasses and just sit and watch the circus that is Piazza Navona. What an evening! Alongside all the usual bag and belt sellers, there were people trying to sell some plastic toy things that flew into the air and flashed lights... Great for kids but two adults? Ok, I wanted one but I didn't succumb :o)
Just sitting there with my boyfriend enjoying the atmosphere was lovely and watching the sun disappear over the roofs of the buildings was magical. Once the fountains light up and the musicians start it becomes a real party!

This fountain in Piazza Navona was created by Bernini and his pupils. The four statues represent the Nile, Danube, Rio della Plata and the Ganges. Which in turn, represent the four quarters of the world.

Piazza Navona: The square is best for people watching. Not only that, it is very close to Pantheon being in the western side and the spot where street artist show their wares. There are many restaurants around the piazza which looks expensive, and they are! A variety of shops, in some cases specialty shops and lots of bars and cafes. I sat on concrete benches within the square and had spent an hour or so, with young excursionist wandering around, who I guess are students on educational tour being watched by their teacher as a leader. Had our packed lunch while watching one of the fountains in the centre of the piazza called the Four Rivers. There's one thing you need not forget. Visit the baroque church dedicated to St. Agnes which is nearby. These simple things I did, made wonders. The way of life is very different. It's interesting!

This square is the start of a nice walk across town via the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain & ending at the Spanish Steps. The piazza is a large rectangle and lined by with beautiful buildings including church, cafes and also 3 fountains - Fontana dei Calderai at the north, Fontana Dei Fiumi (the main fountain) in the middle and Fontana Del Moro at the south end.

Whe I was here last I played guide to a couple from the USA, NZ and a Canadian - we had a great time soaking in the Roman sun and wandering around the back streets of Rome.

This amazing fountain is situated right in the center of Piazza Navona and is its most spectacular fountain of the three.

I was created by Bernini in 1651. It features a central rocky structure that supports an obelisk that was an ancient Roman imitation of the Egyptian form.

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.

These statues have quite lifelike positions and have such movement to them that they seem to be gesticulating.

The Piazza Navona is a marvel of light and sculpture. It's the longest Piazza in Rome. The piazza marks the area for the races in the stadium.
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.

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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).