Holiday Ayo - Piazza Navona is one of the largest and most beautiful piazza squares in Rome with three impressive fountains, including la Fontana Dei Quattro Fiumi with its large obelisk at the center.

The baroque church of Sant'Agnese in Agone provides an impressive backdrop.

Surrounding the square are restaurants and street artists, painters, and musicians who add a lively atmosphere to the scene.

This page covers details of how to get to Piazza Navona plus self-guided walks including the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps.

The reason for its long oval shape is that it was once the site of the Stadium of Domitian - where festivals and sporting events took place.

Navona Square was paved over in the 15th century to create what we see today.

Despite the undoubted architectural delights and history of the place, for most people, this is a pleasant place to hang out, have a drink or meal from the many restaurants that line the piazza and people watch.

La Fontana Dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of Four Rivers) constructed in 1651 for the pope is the most photographed item in the square.

Bernini designed the fountain and it was paid for by taxes on staples like bread.

The centerpiece of the fountain is a tall Roman obelisk and surrounding it four figures can be seen, each representing the great rivers: Ganges, Nile, Danube, and Rio de la Plata.

The pope's coat of arms, a dove, and an olive branch are found on the rock base of the fountain.

The two other fountains, at the north and south ends, are smaller and also have stunning sculptures.

The Fontana del Moro at the southern end of the piazza depicts a Moor fighting a dolphin - Bernini's addition in the 17th century.

At the northern end is the Fontana di Nettuno, (Neptune) built-in 1576 by Giacomo Della Porta.

The statues of Neptune surrounded by sea nymphs were added in the 19th century.

Both of these fountains were started prior to the Fontana Dei Fiumi but have been altered several times as time has slipped by.

More recently Piazza Navona featured in the film Angels and Demons based on the best-selling Dan Brown book.

Various other locations throughout Rome also featured heavily in this popular film.