Rome between the Tiber and Anio - Piazza del Popolo

This image of the fountain in Piazza del Popolo is part of one of the panoramic images found on the PanoramicEarth.com Tour of Rome. There are over 100 images taken from around Rome linked to an interactive map.

The image shown here is of the fountain Rome between the Tiber and Anio in Piazza del Popolo. It shows the fountain at the North end of the Piazza, and the steps up the Pincio Hill. At the top of the hill is Piazzale Napoleon, which overlooks Piazza del Popolo and in you can see people at the balcony at the top. It is well worth the climb as you get a fantastic view over Rome, with the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican in the background.

Piazza del Popolo is oval in shape, with an 24m high obelisk at the centre and fountains at either end, Rome between the Tiber and Anio and Neptune with Two Tritons. The square has come a long way from more humble beginnings. It used to be a hamlet just inside the Aurelian Walls at the end of the Via Flaminia, and it is from popolus, the Italian for ‘hamlet’, that the name is derived.

There are three main roads that head out from the Piazza, the Via del Corso, leads directly to the Roman Forum. The current name derives from the last 3 centuries of Papal rule when wild horse races took place down it, finishing at the Piazza Venezia. Via di Ripetta leads directly to the Vatican, added by Leo X added to aid pilgrims in their journey – though this may have been as much for his benefit as theirs so that they would get there with less risk of being robbed before buying his indulgences. Finally Via del Babuino links to the Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish Steps.

Two 17C Baroque churches, the S Maria in Montesanto and S Maria Miracoli, were added where these three roads enter the square.

The full panoramic image over the square is shown on the Rome tour by PanoramicEarth.com.. A larger version of this image is found on Flickr.

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