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Rome, Italy Hints and Tips |
The baroque Piazza Navona is probably the most beautiful piazza in Rome. It is in the form of a giant oval with Via Vittorio Emanuele at one end and the other end 300m from the Tiber. The shape results from the ruins of the Stadium of Domitian, which lie underneath the present constructions. It is thought that in medieval times, the popes used to flood the piazza to stage mock naval encounters. The main points of interest are the Church of Sant'Agnese in Agone built by Borromini1657. In front of this lies the Fountain of the Four Rivers by Bernini around a large obelisk. Each figure symbolises the world's great rivers, the Ganges, Danube, de la Plata and the Nile. The figure with the shroud on its head is the Nile, so represented because the river's source was unkown at the time. The most interesting figure is the one holding his hand up to shield his eyes from the ugly sight of Sant'Agnese. Bernini and Borromini were keen rivals. |
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