The Spanish Steps is one of the most beautiful and spectacular squares of Rome. Seen from above, the shape of the square is to "butterfly wings" formed by two triangles with common vertex. At the center of the square there is the fountain called Fontana della Barcaccia ("Fountain of the ugly Boat") by Pietro and Gianlorenzo Bernini, and in front of it the famous steps of the Trinita dei Monti.
The name derives setting up in 1622 of the Spanish Embassy in Palazzo Monaldeschi.
Yet until 1725 was a long square is surrounded by buildings but also on a slope with bushes that occupied what is now the world's most famous flight of steps or the steps of Trinità dei Monti.
The original name was "Trinità dei Monti" refers to the Pincio and the building was commissioned by King Louis XII of France to offer it to French citizens of the Order of St. Francis of Paola. The architectural work looks great from below, but nevertheless are wonderful the interiors, among other things, enriched by paintings and paintings of remarkable workmanship. The steps of the staircase are well 136, in a series of ramps 12 steps each.
The square
At the center of the square there is the famous Fountain called Fontana della Barcaccia, which dates back to the early Baroque, sculpted by Pietro Bernini and his son, the famous Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
Right corner of the staircase there is the house of the English poet John Keats lived and died in 1821, now converted into a museum dedicated to his memory and that of Percy Bysshe Shelley, full of books and memorabilia of English Romanticism. The left corner there is, however, Babington's tea room founded in 1893.
The side of Via Frattina is the Palazzo di Propaganda Fide, property of the Vatican. In front of its facade, designed by Bernini (while the front side is instead of Borromini), stands the Column of the Immaculate Conception, which was built two years after the proclamation of the Dogma (1856).
The staircase
The staircase on top of which is the church of Trinita dei Monti was designed by Francesco De Sanctis to connect The Spanish Steps to the church of Trinita dei Monti, the staircase presents the symbols Vatican and French, respectively Innocent XIII 's eagle and the lily of the reigning French.
The De Sanctis conceived it for a while, up to a terrace, with only flaring wider toward the bottom, then divided it and it came up very sinuous in the upper parts, various terraces that connect the two arms are set up throughout the climb the uniqueness of these terraces, panoramic lies that despite being are themselves part of a landscape that is formed slowly coming from via Condotti.
In fact, even this solution comes from the architectural mastery of the architects lovers perspective particularly prolific in Rome: Via Condotti coming from the staircase seems to narrow the space between the buildings is filled by the silhouette of the church of Trinita dei Monti, as we approach instead the perspective changes and expands thus achieving one of the most famous landmarks in Rome.
In spring you can see infiorata of precious Azalee.
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Translated via software
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Source:
Italian version of CosaVisitareARoma.it