Piazza Navona is truly an iconic place rich in history, with its shape reflecting the Stadium of Domitian and the numerous architectural and sculptural works that adorn the square.
The fountains in particular the Fountain of the Four Rivers by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, with his sculptures representing the four rivers and continents known at the time.
The surrounding palaces, such as Palazzo Tuccimei, Palazzo De Torres, Palazzo Pamphilj, and Palazzo Braschi, are important for their architectural and historical features.
The Church of Sant’Agnese in Agone, commissioned by Pope Innocent XIII, is an architectural masterpiece with its concave-convex facade and richly decorated interior.
The Fountain of the Four Rivers, the fulcrum of Piazza Navona, was commissioned by Innocent XIII to replace a simple drinking trough for horses that was rapresent on the square. The fountain was first entrusted to Borromini and then to Gian Lorenzo Bernini, after the latter showed to Pope and Donna Olimpia Maildachini Pamphilj a magnificent silver model of the fountain. The central core of the fountain, representing four rivers that symbolize the continents known at the time, is embellished by the Agonal Obelisk, transferred from Aswan to Egypt by order of Emperor Domitian.
Palazzo Tuccimei was built by joining several houses on the square in 1462 and owes its name to the descendants of Federico Tutijmei. The facade of Piazza Navona is characterized by decorated frames and has three floors with twelve windows each.
Palazzo De Torres was built in 1560 on Via della Cuccagna by Pirro Ligorio, this example of late Renaissance architecture has a facade of four floors with architraved windows and a cornice decorated with lion heads, rose windows, and towers.
Palazzo Pamphilj, built from 1647 by Girolamo Rainaldi, has a central body with pilasters and blind arches. The façade has windows with a centinated and triangular tympanum alternating on the first floor, while the second windows are decorated with shells and surmounted by the coat of arms of the Pamphili depicting three lilies over a dove with an olive branch in the beak.
Palazzo Braschi, built in the eighteenth century on the site of Palazzo Orsini, has been the subject of significant extensions by Cardinal Carafa and Antonio da Sangallo the Younger. After the demolition of Palazzo Orsini in 1791, it was financed by Pope Pius VI and completed in 1804. Later, in 1871, it became the seat of the Ministry of the Interior, then of the Museum of Rome and finally, in 1990, it passed to the Capitoline Administration.
The Church of Sant’Agnese in Agone, located in Piazza Navona, is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture and contains artistic elements of great value.
The church was commissioned by Pope Innocent X and was the last of his commissions. Legend has it that Saint Agnes was martyred near the Stadium of Domitian, thus giving rise to the name “in Agone.” This refers to the Agonis Campus, the name of the area when the stadium was used for sporting events. The church was built on the site where the chapel of Palazzo Piccolomini was originally to be built.
Girolamo Rainaldi began the Greek cross setting in 1652. After the death of Innocent X, his nephew Camillo chose Francesco Borromini to continue the work. Borromini gave the facade a concave-convex pattern, typical of his style, and designed a dome with a vertical development, crowned by a lantern. However, the work of Carlo Rainaldi, son of Girolamo, made some changes to the dome.
Inside, the four arms of the cross are richly decorated with gilded stucco in the vaults. In the central octagon there are four altars dedicated to Sant’Alessio, Santa Ermenziana, Sant’Eustachio, and Santa Cecilia. The columns are made of red Cottanello marble. The transepts are dedicated to Saint Agnes and Saint Sebastian.
The church houses remarkable works of art, including the fresco of the dome made by Ciro Ferri and Sebastiano Corbellini, depicting Sant’Agnese introduced to the Gloria del Paradiso. The plumes of the dome, dedicated to the four cardinal virtues, are the work of Giovan Battista Gaulli, known as the Baciccio.
The Church of Sant’Agnese in Agone is an important example of Baroque art and architecture in Rome, testifying to the mastery of artists such as Borromini and Gaulli.
How to get there: (we have chosen public transport)
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