Rome's most theatrical square, built over an ancient stadium and dressed up by Bernini's fountains, Borromini's church and the everyday life of the city.
עודכן לאחרונה 23 באוגוסט 2026
In a nutshell: Piazza Navona is the showpiece square of the centro storico - Bernini's Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, the church of Sant'Agnese by his great rival Borromini, and a stage for Rome's daily street life. Around it lie the Doria Pamphilj and Palazzo Altemps collections, the Caravaggios of San Luigi and the atmospheric lanes of the old quarter, all linked from the district overview. The Pantheon is a two-minute walk away.
A short stroll from the Pantheon, Piazza Navona is the showpiece square of central Rome: an elegant blend of exuberant fountains, stately baroque palaces and pavement cafes. For nearly three centuries it hosted the city's main market, and it still draws a lively daily mix of performers, souvenir sellers, sightseers and pigeons.
Tip: For the square at its best, arrive before the day-trippers in the early morning, or after dusk once the fountains are lit.
Like so many of Rome's monuments, Piazza Navona covers an ancient structure: the Stadio di Domiziano. Built in the 1st century CE for athletic contests, its underground remains can be toured from Via di Tor Sanguigna. The name Navona descends from the Greek agon, which meant public games, a corruption that stuck. The stadium eventually fell into ruin, and only in the 1400s was the area paved over and the city's central market moved here.
The square's showpiece is Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, finished in 1651: it pairs an Egyptian obelisk with burly river gods, the Ganges, Nile, Danube and Plate, emblems of the four known continents of the era. Giacomo della Porta designed the Fontana del Moro for the south end in 1576, while the Fontana del Nettuno, at the square's north end, arrived in the 19th century.
Along the square's western side rises the Chiesa di Sant'Agnese in Agone, by the celebrated baroque architect Francesco Borromini. Alongside it, the 17th-century Palazzo Pamphilj now hosts the Brazilian Embassy.
Wandering the cobbled alleys west of Piazza Navona, you will sooner or later land on Via del Governo Vecchio. This historic artery once lay along the route of papal processions linking San Giovanni in Laterano with St Peter's; today it bristles with boutiques, independent shops, takeaway joints, restaurants and bars. Its name, meaning Old Government St, dates from 1755, when the pontifical administration moved out of the now-decrepit Palazzo Nardini at No 39 and into Palazzo Madama.
A little further north, Via dei Coronari delights strollers too. Centuries ago, pedlars sold pilgrims the rosaries they call corone along this street, and prelates discreetly installed their mistresses here. These days it is known for antique shops, though you will also find assorted stores and casual cafes, plus the excellent Gelateria del Teatro at No 65-66.
Heading south, Via Giulia ranks among Rome's most beguiling streets: a ribbon of churches, palazzi and understated fashion boutiques, elegant and largely traffic-free. At its southern end, find the Fontana del Mascherone, whose stone face looks startled by the water gushing from its mouth. Close by, the overhead Arco Farnese was conceived by Michelangelo for an unfinished scheme to link Palazzo Farnese with the Villa Farnesina across the Tiber.