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Navona Square & Fountain of the four Rivers (Piazza Navona e Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi)

Piazza Navona e Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi
The Navona Square and Bernini's masterpiece "Four Rivers Fountain" at night. In the night, you can leisurely enjoy the view with less people.
In the winter the lighting up starts around 18 o'clock.

Piazza Navona e Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi
Sant'Agnese church is beautiful and elegant with its baroque facade. In the Navona Square there are many painters. It's fun to enjoy their pictures leisurely.

Piazza Navona e Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi
In the north of the square, there is a work of Della Porta; "Fountain of Neptune". The Navona Square is really large so you can enjoy walking slowly. Please look each fountain carefully one by one.

Piazza Navona e Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi
Around the Navona Square there are many cafes and restaurants. You can spend a relaxing time while watching the beautiful scenery. After 6 o'clock in the afternoon, this square becomes full of people enjoying an aperitif.

Piazza Navona e Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi
Going toward the river Tiber from the Navona Square, you can find the "Umberto I Bridge (Ponte Umberto I)". From the bridge, it's possible to enjoy a magnificent view of St. Peter's Basilica and Castel Sant'Angelo.

Recommend: 5 stars

Navona Square and Four Rivers Fountain (Piazza Navona e Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi)
Personally, I think here is the most beautiful square in Rome. In my opinion, to visit from this Navona Square, then Pantheon, Church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva and Trevi Fountain is the best walking route in Rome. Especially, Roma becomes more beautiful when the city is illuminated. Let's finish dinner early, and enjoy a night visit in Rome.


Rome's most beautiful square, Piazza Navona

There is a beautiful artistic square built in BC in the west area of Rome downtown. That is the Navona Square. Personally this is my most favorite square in Rome. The origin of this square is a vertical elongated stadium, built by the Roman Emperor Domitian more than 2000 years ago from now. The beauty of this square makes her famous in all over the world. In the heart of the square, there is a masterpiece of Baroque sculpture, Bernini (Gian Lorenzo Bernini); "Four Rivers Fountain". In front of this fountain there is a curvaceous beautiful church, Sant Agnese in Agone.

The large square with great fountains is full of dignity of Rome

Since the Navona Square is a pedestrian area, it's nice to take a picture deliberately without worrying about the cars. There are also portrait painters and street performers.
From north to south, in this long square there are three fountains; "Fountain of Neptune (Fontana del Nettuno)" made by Della Porta (Giacomo della Porta), "Four Rivers Fountain (Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi)" by Bernini and "Fountain of the Moors (Fontana del Moro)" by Bernini too. The whole square divided into four parts by these three fountains is representing the four continents of the world. Towering obelisk in the center seems like the heart of the world.

Don't miss the Four Rivers Fountain!

The "Four Rivers Fountain" enshrined in the center of the square is considered as one of Bernini's best masterpieces. He had designed also St. Peter's Square. In Rome you can find numerous sculptures that he had left. It would be fun to explore the city of Rome looking for works of Bernini.
On the magnificent Four Rivers Fountain, you can see the statues of four men. They are anthropomorphic symbols of the world's 4 great rivers: the Nile (Africa), Ganges (Asia), Danube (Europe), and Rio de la Plata (South America). There is an obelisk in the center. It's a huge and powerful Baroque sculpture.

An interesting anecdote about this Fountain and the church

There is a famous anecdote about the Four Rivers Fountain.
Opposite the fountain, there is the church of Sant Agnese in Agone, designed by a famous architect Francesco Borromini. He was a rival of Bernini at that Baroque period. It's said that they had been always competing. For example, the head of the Nile in front of the facade of the church is covered by a cloth. That's because Bernini can't keep seeing this "ugly" church of Borromini. And the statue of the La Plata is stretching his arm towards the church. That is an "irony" from Bernini to Borromini, saying that to avoid a collapse of the church.
Anyway, this episode is written also on guide books plausibly. But actually the fountain had been completed in 1651 and the church four years later. Therefore, this episode would be made by the Romans. Nice humor with witness.

Take a rest at a cafe

The Navona Square is full of fashionable bars and restaurants. Cafe might cost 4 euros, an aperitif around 6 euros; here the prices are a little bit high. But it's an ideal relax time to take a rest enjoying magnificent churches and beautiful fountains, and watching people coming and going.
Around at sunset time, please enjoy an aperitivo (aperitif) and relax.
The Navona Square is a tourist attraction. Although here is a safe place with many police officers, but please take attention to sellers of Misanga etc.

Testimonials travelers
I recommend the Navona Square at night

When I heard that not few people see the Navona Square, only in the daytime and not at night, I feel sad!!! There is no more beautiful square in Rome, especially night. I recommend you absolutely to visit this marvelous place also at night.
Rome at night with fewer people is more attractive than during the day with many tourists. Let's go out to explore Rome at night!

From Rome, AMOITALY STAFF

Name Chiesa di Sant'Agnese in Agone
Address Piazza Navona-Via S.Maria dell’Anima, 30/A-00186 ROMA-ITALIA
Tel. +39 0668192134
Closed Monday
Opening Hours Weekday: 9:30-12:30 / 15:30-19:00
Holiday: 10:00-13:00 / 16:00-19:00
price Free
Mass times Holiday: 12:15, 19:00
Previous holiday: 19:00
Every Thursday: 21:00, 24:00
Christmas Mass: December 25, 12:15 (Organ music at 11:00)
Site http://www.santagneseinagone.org/
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