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Piazza Navona is undoubtedly one of Rome’s most refined squares and most striking corners. In ancient times, an athletic stadium stood on this part of the city, where Romans would gather to watch the “agones” or games.
Piazza Navona was formerly known as “Circus Agonalis” or “competition arena.” Today, visitors to the Italian capital can admire its grand baroque fountains and historic churches.
What You Need to Know about Piazza Navona Before Visiting
What was Piazza Navona used for?
Is Piazza Navona a good place to stay?
How far is Piazza Navona from Trevi Fountain?
What is Piazza Navona famous for?
Who built Piazza Navona?
Is Piazza Navona safe?
Interesting Facts
As you wander through the historic heart of Rome, Piazza Navona awaits with its elegant Baroque artistry and deep roots in ancient history.
This iconic square, with its fountains, churches, and artistic masterpieces, conceals intriguing tales that span centuries. Whether you’re an architecture enthusiast or a history buff, commit a few facts about Piazza Navona to memory and impress your friends as you stroll through Rome. From the footprint of the Stadium of Domitian to the rivalry between legendary architects, Piazza Navona is a treasure trove of stories waiting to be discovered.
- Piazza Navona was built on the ruins of the Stadium of Domitian, constructed in AD 86. Its elongated shape still reflects the original stadium’s layout, preserving the historic imprint of ancient Roman architecture within a bustling urban square.
- The Fountain of the Four Rivers, designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1651, is the centrepiece of Piazza Navona. The four river gods represented in the fountain symbolise the four major continents known at the time: the Nile, Ganges, Danube, and Río de la Plata.
- Pope Innocent X commissioned significant renovations to the piazza in the 17th century, transforming it into a monumental showcase of Baroque art. The Pamphilj family palace, now the Brazilian Embassy, overlooks the square, marking the Pope’s familial connection.
- The Church of Sant’Agnese in Agone, designed by Francesco Borromini and Girolamo Rainaldi, commemorates Saint Agnes’s martyrdom. The church stands on the site where she is believed to have been martyred in the ancient Stadium of Domitian.
- The piazza has a tradition of hosting market fairs and theatrical performances. From the 17th century onwards, during the summer months, the square was flooded to create “Lake Navona”—a practice that continued until the 19th century, making it a lively social hub.
- Piazza Navona features three fountains, the northernmost of which is the Fountain of Neptune. Added in 1574, the statue of Neptune battling an octopus was only installed in the 19th century, providing a dramatic flourish to the already ornate water feature.
- Throughout history, Piazza Navona has served as a key source of artistic inspiration and rivalry. The competition between architects Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Francesco Borromini, both responsible for notable elements in the square, epitomised the creative intensity of Baroque Rome.
Explore our editorial guide to places associated with Borromini’s masterpieces in Rome.
History of Piazza Navona: From Ancient Rome to Modern Splendour
Roman Antiquity: The Stadium of Domitian
Originally known as the Stadium of Domitian (Stadio di Domiziano), Piazza Navona dates back to the 1st century AD.
Emperor Titus Flavius Domitianus commissioned this grand stadium as a generous gift to the citizens of Rome. It was primarily intended for athletic contests and public spectacles.
Initially called “Campus Agonis”, meaning “field of games”, the stadium’s name evolved over time, becoming “n’agone” during the Middle Ages and eventually simplified to the modern “Navona”.
The ancient stadium measured approximately 275 metres by 106 metres and could accommodate up to 15,000 spectators. The surrounding arcades housed various merchants, entertainment venues, and social facilities. An intriguing historical detail: one of the nearby buildings, once functioning as a brothel, was later converted into a church—demonstrating Rome’s enduring capacity for reinvention through the ages.
Early Christian and Medieval Period: Religious Transformations
The Church of Santa Maria del Sacro Cuore (Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore)
Built upon the ancient ruins of Domitian’s stadium in the 12th century, the Church of Santa Maria del Sacro Cuore played a significant role in Rome’s religious life. From the 13th to the 17th centuries, it served as the national church for the Spanish community in Rome.
In the 19th century, under Pope Leo XIII, significant renovations were undertaken, reorienting its main entrance directly onto Piazza Navona. Renowned Renaissance artist Francisco de Castello was chiefly responsible for the interior artwork and frescoes.
The Baroque Era: Artistic Flourishing and Pamphili Influence
The Baroque period dramatically reshaped Piazza Navona, establishing it as one of Rome’s most remarkable public spaces.
At the close of the 15th century, influential Roman families, particularly the Pamphili, played a major role in its cultural and architectural development.
In the 17th century, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Pamphili, who later became Pope Innocent X, commissioned the magnificent Palazzo Pamphili in the southern section of the square.
This grand residence comprises 23 halls and an elegant gallery adorned with frescoes painted by Pietro da Cortona in 1651. Furthermore, in 1672, the magnificent Church of Sant’Agnese in Agone—the final resting place of Pope Innocent X—was incorporated into the complex.
Today, the historic Palazzo Pamphili houses the Brazilian Embassy.
Saint Agnes of Rome: Martyrdom and Legacy
Saint Agnes, or Santa Agnese, after whom the square’s renowned Baroque church is named, was a significant early Christian martyr who lived between the late 3rd and early 4th centuries.
Celebrated for her steadfast Christian faith, Agnes refused to sacrifice to the Roman goddess Minerva, which led to her public humiliation and sentence to a brothel.
According to legend, Agnes miraculously remained untouched. When the magistrate’s son attempted to dishonour her, he was struck blind, only to regain his sight after Agnes prayed for him. Despite these miraculous events, Agnes was executed around AD 305. She was buried in the catacombs along the Via Nomentana, where another significant basilica dedicated to her was later established.
The Church of Sant’Agnese in Agone: A Rivalry Set in Stone
The Church of Sant’Agnese in Agone stands as both a sacred site and a Baroque masterpiece steeped in architectural rivalry.
Commissioned in the 1650s by Pope Innocent X, the church was designed by the eminent architects Girolamo Rainaldi, Carlo Rainaldi, and later Francesco Borromini. It was built on the very site where, according to tradition, Saint Agnes was martyred.
The construction formed part of the Pamphilj family’s grand vision to dominate Piazza Navona with a unified palace and church complex. The striking Baroque façade, featuring a concave front and twin bell towers, directly faces Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers. This positioning sparked a legendary (albeit apocryphal) tale: that the outstretched hand of the Rio de la Plata statue in the fountain appears to be “shielding” itself from the church’s design—a playful jab at the famed rivalry between Bernini and Borromini.
Inside, the church retains a solemn and richly decorated ambience, featuring a magnificent dome fresco by Ciro Ferri, graceful marble details, and a crypt believed to mark the very spot of Saint Agnes’s martyrdom. The church remains integral to the historical and spiritual narrative of the piazza, seamlessly blending sacred heritage with the theatrical elegance of Baroque Rome.
You can read more about Sant’Agnese in Agone.
Piazza Navona Today: Cultural Heritage and Urban Life
Today, Piazza Navona remains one of Rome’s most celebrated public squares, seamlessly blending historical architecture with vibrant contemporary life.
It continues to serve as a hub for cultural events, bustling street life, artistic performances, and festive markets, linking its rich past to the daily rhythm of modern Rome.
Read also about the Top 25 Souvenirs to Bring Home from Rome.
Fountains in Piazza Navona
Piazza Navona is renowned not only for its distinctive elongated form—a legacy of the ancient Stadium of Domitian—but also for its trio of exquisite Baroque fountains, each imbued with artistic meaning and historical depth.
Designed and enhanced by master architects and sculptors including Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Francesco Borromini, and Giacomo della Porta, these fountains stand as enduring masterpieces that reflect artistic brilliance, technical ingenuity, and the symbolic significance of water in Rome’s urban landscape.
The Fountain of the Four Rivers (Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi)
Dominating the centre of Piazza Navona is the spectacular Fountain of the Four Rivers (Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi), crafted between 1648 and 1651 by the celebrated Baroque sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
This extraordinary monument is supplied by the ancient Acqua Vergine aqueduct—an engineering marvel that reflects Rome’s enduring legacy of hydraulic mastery.
The fountain symbolises the power and global reach of the Catholic Church during Pope Innocent X’s papacy, through representations of four major rivers from the continents known to Europeans at the time:
- The Nile (Africa), with a veiled head representing its then-unknown source;
- The Ganges (Asia), holding an oar;
- The Danube (Europe), touching the papal coat of arms;
- And the Rio de la Plata (America), reclining amid coins to signify the wealth of the New World.
Each figure, carved from Travertine marble, captures vivid emotion and motion, showcasing Bernini’s extraordinary talent in breathing life into stone. The towering Egyptian obelisk atop the fountain reinforces Rome’s connection to the ancient world, serving as a powerful symbol of continuity and resilience.
Bernini vs. Borromini: Rivalry in Stone
A compelling narrative tied to the piazza involves Bernini’s artistic rivalry with Francesco Borromini. Borromini designed the nearby church of Sant’Agnese in Agone, whose ornate Baroque façade directly faces Bernini’s monumental fountain. While the two initially collaborated, their relationship grew competitive, often expressed through commissioned works for influential Roman patrons.
A popular (though historically inaccurate) myth suggests that Bernini sculpted the Rio de la Plata figure with a look of horror and an upraised hand as a satirical gesture towards Borromini’s church. In reality, the Fountain was completed before the church’s façade—yet the legend endures, adding a layer of intrigue to their famed artistic feud.
For further insights, explore our guide to Borromini’s masterpieces in Rome.
Obeliscus Pamphilius: Ancient Power, Baroque Stage
The Obeliscus Pamphilius, originally commissioned by Emperor Domitian in the 1st century AD, now rises from the centre of Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona.
Carved in Egypt from red granite, the monument stands over 16.5 metres tall (30 metres with its base) and weighs more than 100 tonnes.
Rediscovered in ruins and relocated by Pope Innocent X in the 17th century, the obelisk became both an artistic and engineering centrepiece. Bernini’s design — considered risky at the time — was met with scepticism, prompting him to add symbolic sculpted ropes as a witty response to critics.
Its Latin inscription reframes this ancient pagan monument as a Christian triumph, aligning with the Pope’s political and spiritual vision.
Read more about the Obeliscus Pamphilius and its fascinating history.
Fountain of the Moor (Fontana del Moro)
Completing the trio at Piazza Navona’s southern end is the elegant Fountain of the Moor (Fontana del Moro), originally designed by Giacomo della Porta in 1575–1576.
The Fountain’s original form included dolphins and Tritons but lacked its central figure until Bernini, nearly a century later (1653), enhanced it with the striking central sculpture known as “Il Moro.”
This central figure, sculpted by Bernini himself, dramatically portrays a muscular Moor wrestling with a dolphin set within an ornate shell-shaped basin. Around this dynamic scene are four Tritons spouting water, establishing a theatrical dialogue between architecture and nature. The strength and vitality depicted in Bernini’s Moor exemplify the Baroque fascination with emotional expression and dramatic narrative in sculpture.
In 1874, during an extensive restoration to preserve these historical sculptures, the original statues from the Fountain of the Moor were carefully transferred to the prestigious Galleria Borghese and replaced in Piazza Navona by precise replicas, safeguarding the delicate original artworks.
Neptune’s Fountain (Fontana del Nettuno)
At the northern end of Piazza Navona stands Neptune’s Fountain (Fontana del Nettuno), originally designed by the acclaimed Renaissance architect Giacomo della Porta in 1574.
Initially, this Fountain was relatively simple and unadorned, lacking the ornate sculptures now associated with its final form.
Only during the extensive restoration works carried out in 1878 by sculptors Antonio della Bitta and Gregorio Zappalà did Neptune’s Fountain assume its current dramatic aesthetic. At the heart of the Fountain, Neptune—carved robustly in marble—wields his trident triumphantly, engaged in combat with an octopus, a metaphor for dominion over the seas. Surrounding the central figure are exuberant representations of sea creatures, nereids, and cupids. The Fountain’s energetic composition evokes the perpetual movement of water, effectively capturing the viewer’s eye and imagination, making it a cherished landmark for art connoisseurs and historians alike.
Braschi Palace – Museum of Rome
Braschi Palace (Palazzo Braschi) was constructed in Rome in 1792. 
Cosimo Morelli developed the architectural design and oversaw the construction works. However, Napoleon’s invasion halted the decorative works until 1811. As a result, the Braschi family lost the right to obtain the palace, and the government was unable to utilise such a luxurious and opulent building.
From 1949 onwards, Braschi Palace served as a shelter for 300 Italian families, and in 1952, it was designated the Museum of Rome.
The museum is open from 09:00 to 19:00, and the ticket costs €9 (approximately £7.70).
Official website: www.museodiroma.it
Where to Stay in Piazza Navona
Many luxury hotels are located near Piazza Navona.
With the special filter, you can choose the best hotel for your stay.
Three Best Hotels Near Navona Square
- Hotel Raphael – Relais & Châteaux – a superb 5-star hotel, ideal for fans of Julia Roberts, as the renowned Restaurant Saint Lucia is located nearby, where the main character of *Eat Pray Love* dined.
- Eitch Borromini Palazzo Pamphilj – a 4-star hotel situated directly on Piazza Navona, within a 17th-century building designed by the celebrated Baroque architect Francesco Borromini.
- Rhea Silvia Luxury Navona – offers exceptional rooms with views overlooking the square.
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