Italy for me From Italy with love
Piazza del Popolo, or the “People’s Square,” was laid out in Rome in the 16th century by order of Pope Sixtus V. From the square, three streets radiate southward like sunbeams, forming what were once the city’s main thoroughfares: Via del Corso, Via di Ripetta, and Via del Babuino, the latter leading directly to another Roman landmark—the Spanish Steps.
Today, the square is entirely closed to traffic and fully reserved for locals and the many tourists.
At the center of the square stands the Flaminio Obelisk—a 24-meter (79-foot) stone column over 3,400 years old that was brought from Egypt on the orders of Emperor Augustus. For centuries, it stood in the Circus Maximus before eventually falling into disrepair.
Excavations brought it back to light, and it was restored and re-erected here at Piazza del Popolo, where it was named the Flaminio Obelisk. Today, the monument is surrounded by fountains featuring marble lions.
To the north of the square stands the Porta del Popolo, also known as the Flaminian Gate, which marks the start of Via Flaminia—a road dating back to ancient Roman times.
At the southern end of the square, flanking the entrance to Via del Corso, stand the nearly identical churches of Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto—together, a striking Baroque duo.
Baroque (barocco) style is beautifully represented in their architecture.
To the east of the square is the Napoleonic Staircase, which connects the piazza to the Napoleon Terrace atop the Pincian Hill.
As you can see, Piazza del Popolo enjoys a prime strategic location relative to the main attractions of Rome, and its numerous bus, tram, and metro stops make it one of the city’s key transportation hubs.
Approximate walking times from the square:
- Spanish Steps – 10 minutes;
- Borghese Gallery – 15 minutes;
- Trevi Fountain – 15 minutes;
- Pantheon – 15 minutes;
- Altar of the Fatherland via Via del Corso – 20 minutes;
- Colosseum – 30 minutes;
- Vatican, St. Peter’s Basilica – 20 minutes;
- Cats in Rome – 30 minutes;
- Trastevere – 30 minutes;
Much of the Pincian Hill is taken up by Villa Borghese, a landscaped garden complex designed in the English style. Villa Borghese ranks as the third-largest park in Rome.