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Piazza di Spagna & Piazza del Popolo

During the late Renaissance, the Piazza di Spagna, thanks to its splendor, was one of the most sought-after and bustling centers, the city's most visited attraction by tourists and famous travelers from all over Europe. It was constantly visited by important artists, poets, and writers of the time, who drew inspiration from its unique and unrepeatable landscape. The area around Piazza di Spagna, Piazza del Popolo, and Villa Borghese is very extensive, and you need plenty of time to see the most important sights, enjoy the special atmosphere, and wander through the vast Villa Borghese.

Content

Piazza di Spagna & Spanish Steps & Trinita dei Monti

Keats and Shelly Museum & Villa Medici

Villa Borghese and Galleria Borghese

Piazza del Popolo

Porta del Popolo & Church of Santa Maria del Popolo

The Tridente & Casa di Goethe

1. Piazza di Spagna & Spanish Steps

The Piazza di Spagna is one of the most popular and busiest squares in Rome. The famous Spanish Steps, with their 135 travertine steps, are the work of Francesco de Sanctis. While the lower end of the Spanish Steps is adorned with the "Fontana La Barcaccia" fountain, the top of the Spanish Steps is culminated in the French church of "SS. Trinita dei Monti." Also impressive is the giant Egyptian obelisk that rises into the sky between the steps and the church. The Piazza di Spagna, with its Spanish Steps, is a meeting place for all tourists. The enormous staircase invites you to rest and linger. The fountain in front of the steps (called the "Fontana della Barcaccia") is shaped like a ship and was completed by the son of the great Bernini in the 17th century.

2. Museum Keats & Shelly & Villa Medici

The Keats-Shelley House is a Roman literary museum dedicated to the writers John Keats and Perdie Shelley, as well as to the English Romantic poets who were attracted to the city. John Keats lived in the house, located on the Piazza di Spagna, between 1820 and 1821. The Swedish physician and writer Axel Munthe later also lived there. The house is open to the public. The house's collection includes numerous manuscripts and an extensive library specializing in English Romanticism. Villa Medici. The founding of the French Academy in Rome was part of the great works of King Louis XIV at the end of the 17th century. These works transformed the Louvre, the Tuileries Gardens, and Versailles. The French Academy in Rome was founded in 1666 under the leadership of Colbert, Le Brun, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini. It welcomed artists who had won the First Prize of Rome and several protégés of powerful lords. Young artists supported by the king received advanced training and had contact with Rome and Italy. At that time, these Rome scholarship recipients followed a strict discipline and dedicated their time to producing copies of ancient or Renaissance art. The Académie de France had various residences in Rome over the years. It was not until 1803 that it moved to the Villa Medici, located above the Spanish Steps. The villa can be visited with guided tours. Chiesa di Sant'Andrea delle Fratte. This church is located near the Piazza di Spagna. The elliptical apse, the drum of the dome, and the bell tower are by Borromini. The bell tower is interesting. It has a square floor plan with various orders and complete creative freedom. Inside are two sculptures by Bernini: the angels, which he executed for the Ponte Sant'Angelo, which the Pope wanted to protect from destruction by weathering. They depict the angel with the crown of thorns and the angel with the scroll, which displays the symbols of the Passion. Restaurants Hamasei - Restaurant Hamasei is the best Japanese restaurant in Rome. The excellent lunch menu at a very reasonable price is highly recommended. Reservations are essential. Location: Near Piazza di Spagna and the Trevi Fountain. Address: Via della Mercede 35/36, Rome Phone: +39 06 679 21 34 Antico Caffé Greco This café is located on Via Condotti, just a few steps from the Spanish Steps, and is known for its illustrious guests, both then and now. For Goethe, for example, the café was a second living room during his stay in Rome. Address: Via dei Condotti 86, Rome

3. Villa Borghese & Galleria Borghese

Villa Borghese - The extensive Villa Borghese grounds are home to museums and galleries, foreign academies and archaeological institutes, a zoo, a lawn amphitheater, an artificial lake, several summer houses, fountains, and neoclassical statues. The park has several entrances, one of which is the monumental entrance at Piazzale Flaminio (right next to Piazza del Popolo). Sights in the park: The Piazza di Siena, surrounded by tall pine trees, an open, grassy amphitheater Statues of Goethe, Byron, and Victor Hugo Picturesque temples, such as the circular Temple of Diana and the Temple of Faustina The "Giardino del Lago" in the center of the park. This garden features an artificial lake with a Temple of Aesculapius. Rowboats are available for recreation on the lake in idyllic surroundings. South of the lake stands the Art Nouveau Fontana di Fauni, arguably one of the park's most beautiful sculptures. To the northwest, on Viale delle Belle Arti, is the "Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna," which houses a collection of paintings from the 19th and 20th centuries. In the northeast corner of the park are the small Bioparco and the Museo Zoologico. In the center of the park is the former Orangery, which has been converted into the Museo Carlo Bilotti. Here, you can see works by Giorgio de Chirico, Andy Warhol, Larry Rivers, and Gino Severini. Museums Galleria Borghese Museum (in the Villa Borghese Park) In the Villa Borghese, in one corner of the park, is the Galleria Borghese, one of the most famous and valuable private art collections in the world, dating back to the collecting activities of Cardinal Scipione. Borghese, who also commissioned the construction of the casino, where the collection is housed. At the beginning of the 19th century, the so-called Casino of Statues was established, containing a rich collection of antiquities, some of which are significant, including a seated statue of Anacreon, a Bacchus, a Juno Pronuba, a statue of Tyrtaeus, a seated Pluto, and a statue of a dancing Silenus. The collection includes works by Antonello da Messina, Bronzino, Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Guido Reni, Rubens, Antonio Tempesta, Titian, and Veronese, as well as sculptures by Bernini and Canova. Address: Piazzale Scipione Borghese 5, Rome Phone: +39 06 841 39 79 The Villa Giulia is today the most representative museum of Etruscan culture, housing not only some of this culture's most important creations, but also Greek and pre-Roman works of the highest quality, all gathered in one area. which was an outstanding meeting place for various peoples between the 7th and 5th centuries BC. The museum is located just outside the Villa Borghese Park.

4. Piazza del Popolo

The Piazza del Popolo is certainly one of the most famous squares in the world, with a picturesque entrance in the heart of the capital. Its artistic beauty and cafés make it a cultural landmark for Roman citizens. The Fontana del Trullo, designed by Giacomo della Porta, was created in the 16th century. The obelisk in the center of the square was brought to Rome during the reign of Augustus to celebrate the conquest of Egypt. The exterior facade of today's Porta del Popolo was commissioned from Michelangelo by Pope Pius IV. Right next door stands the magnificent 15th-century Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo, which has been enriched and modified over the centuries by the intervention of many architects and artists. Its interior contains extraordinary masterpieces by Raphael, Bernini, Pinturicchio, and Caravaggio. Behind the Piazza del Popolo lies the Pincio Park, a beautiful urban promenade from whose terrace you can admire a spectacular sunset. Restaurants Le Jardin de Russie Good Italian restaurant in the hotel, with a pleasant atmosphere. You can also dine in the garden. Location: right next to Piazza del Popolo. Address: Hotel de Russie, Via del Babuino 9, Rome Telephone +39 06 32 88 88 70 Ristorante Brillo Good restaurant, friendly service. Location: 250 meters from Piazza del Popolo Address: Via della Fontanella 12, Rome Telephone +39 06 324 33 34 Pizzeria PizzaRe Very good "Pizza Napoletana," fresh from the wood-fired oven. Location: 260 meters from Piazza del Popolo Address: Via di Ripetta 14, Rome Telephone +39 321 14 68

5. Porta del Popolo & Church of Santa Maria del Popolo

Porta del Popolo - Piazza del Popolo is accessed through the Porta del Popolo (the old Porta Flaminia). The exterior façade of this portal was commissioned from Michelangelo by Pope Pius IV. He entrusted the work to Nanni di Baccio Bigio, who completed it in the 15th century. In the Piazza del Popolo, right next to the Porta del Popolo, stands the magnificent 15th-century Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo, which has been enriched and modified over the centuries by the intervention of many architects and artists. Its interior contains extraordinary masterpieces by Raphael, Bernini, Pinturicchio, and Caravaggio. Link: http://www.smariadelpopolo.com/en/ - Information about the Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo, in English.

6. Tridente & Casa di Goethe

Il Tridente, from Piazza del Popolo to Piazza di Spagna. This district derives its name from the tridente, a trident, an ancient stabbing weapon with three edges, as three streets branch off from Piazza del Popolo like a trident: Via di Ripetta, Via del Babuino, and Via Condotti. This district, now home to many shopping streets, was frequented by prominent figures such as the English poets Keats and Shelley, the German poet laureate Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and the Italian director Federico Fellini. Major luxury brands have naturally found their home here. Museums Casa di Goethe - Near Piazza del Popolo, on Via del Corso, is the house where Goethe stayed from 1786 to 1788 as a guest of his friend and painter Heinrich Wilhelm Tischbein. Today, the house is a cultural institute and museum dedicated to the poet, his journey to Italy, and his stay in Rome. Ara Pacis Museum - Walking from Piazza del Popolo toward the Tevere River, you reach the Ara Pacis, home to the Altar of Peace, one of the most outstanding monuments of ancient Rome. Link: http://www.arapacis.it/en/ - Information about the Ara Pacis Museum, in English.