More than a hotel near Piazza Navona

Piazza Navona is one of the most famous squares of Rome. Its shape is that of an old stadium, and was built in monumental style at the behest of Pope Innocent X (Giovanni Battista Pamphili).

History

Remains of the stadium of Domitian in the Piazza Navona visible from Via Zanardelli Piazza Navona, in ancient Rome, was the stadium of Domitian, which was built by Emperor Domitian in 85 in the third century and was restored by Alexander Severus. It was 276 meters long, 54 wide and could accommodate 30,000 spectators. The stage was decorated with statues, one of which is to Pasquino (perhaps a copy of a Hellenistic Pergamon allegedly representing Menelaus supporting the body of Patroclus), now in the square next to Piazza Navona. Because it was a stage and not a circus, there were no carceres (which came out the gates race horses) or the plug (the dividing wall around which the horses were running) such as the Circus Maximus, but it was all free and used for racing athletes. The obelisk which is now at the center of the square was not there, but comes from the Circus Maxentius, who was on the Via Appia.
The square's name was originally "in agony" (from the greek agones, "games") since the stadium was used exclusively for athletics. It is absolutely true that Piazza Navona was used for naval battles: it is a myth generated by the fact that the square was usually flooded in August to ease the heat, the square was originally concave, it blocked the closures of the three fountains and water out in order to flood the streets. Between 1810 and 1839 races were held in the square to the jockey, horse racing or assembled (but had no kinship with the most famous race horses racing on Via del Corso).

Piazza Navona and the art

Piazza Navona is in a sense the pride of Baroque Rome, with architectural and sculptural masters such as Bernini (the Fountain of the Four Rivers in the center of the square, which is the Danube, the Ganges, the Nile and the Rio Plata, the four corners of the Earth), Francesco Borromini and Rainaldi, Girolamo (St. Agnes in Agony, in front of Bernini's fountain) and Pietro da Cortona (author of the frescoes of the Palazzo Pamphili Gallery).
The square was to celebrate the greatness of the Pamphili family (in a sort of competition with the Barberini and Farnese) and Innocent X, who wanted to erect the building is the same name and that the square was decorated with works of considerable value. To fit the area so we resorted to the demolition of some blocks, and the race for the award of contracts without exclusion of wits was fought between the main architects of the time, an important role in the choice of artists was also played by the powerful Donna Olimpia Maidalchini (influential and casual in-law of Pope Innocent X), which is said for example that Bernini had donated a silver model of his design of the fountain, but according to others was always she who chose to replace Rainaldi Borromini in completing the the church.
The church commemorates the martyrdom that Santa would have been right in that part of the square and, legend has it, was erected just above the brothel where the crimes occurred and that it would be perpetuated in this capacity until precisely at the time of construction in existing basement of the building. It is indeed precisely the arches of these underground rooms latinafornices assumed that the word also means brothel (also determining the derivation of the root of the verb fornicate). The present church stands, where since medieval times had been erected a small parish church. The well-known legend about the supposed rivalry between Bernini and Borromini suggests that two of the four rivers of the evil statues Bernini wanted to give special protections against the work of the adversary: ??the Nile a bandage on his head to avoid the unhappy vision the Rio de la Plata and a hand stretched out, perhaps to ward off the impending collapse of the church, but the belief is unfounded, since the fountain was built before the church (as is known, then, the Nile has his head bandaged because at the time were not yet been discovered its sources). What is true is that on the facade of the church, the statue of St. Agnes has a posture that is open to many possible interpretations, including one that the famous hand on his chest, along with facial expression, is a sign of confusion.
The "competition" between the two authors, at least in this square, resulted in a playful tone: Borromini's criticism of the staff on the possible static seal of a hollow structure, the staff replied ironically competitor, setting the group with "reassuring" rods. .. simple string.
Piazza Navona has two other fountains: the Fountain of the Moor, sculpted by Giacomo della Porta and retouched by Bernini, located in the south of the square, and the Fontana del Nettuno (Fountain of the original Calderari), located in the north, by DiGregorio and Antonio Della Bitta Zappala.

The palaces

Palazzo Braschi - the end of the eighteenth century, stands on the site of the palace built by Francesco Orsini prefect of Rome in 400.
Palazzo Lancellotti (formerly de Torres) - built around 1552 by Pirro Ligorio.
Pamphili Palace - built between 1644 and about 1650 by Girolamo Rainaldi.
Tuccimei Palace (formerly de Cupis Ornan) - built in the second half of the sixteenth century, of a building and neighboring houses of the previous century.

The market

The square hosts a market that over time has become traditional for the town. Born as a local market (in fact it was the transfer market of the Capitol), similar to the still active in Campo de 'Fiori, was characteristic for the location of the counters that more or less as at present, followed the oval. During the warm months, the market was suspended for the use of flooding for the purpose of refreshing the square of citizenship, a custom still in use (as well as a testimony of the sonnets below) until the nineteenth century.
Over time, due to the ever increasing tourist destination places, the market was slowly poured on the existing nearby market at Campo de 'Fiori and Piazza limited to only this holiday season, perhaps because of the time limit, the value This traditional market has become more dense thickness, reaching its peak with the feast of the Epiphany and making the "Epiphany in Piazza Navona" one of the most widely felt of citizenship.
Since World War II, as well as the stairway of Trinita dei Monti, many artists began to frequent the square settling impromptu banquet to paint and exhibit (also for sale) their creations, in parallel, was born also known to use to create portraits (including caricatures) to passers-by and in recent times the square has become a meeting place and performance artists "road" that make it, especially in the evening, one of the most vital and interesting city.

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