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Pope Innocent X was elected in 1644. He persecuted
the Barberini family in spite of the fact that they had helped him acquire the Papal
tiara, and he instead gave great power to his
 own family, the Pamphilij, by giving them wealth, lands,
and important positions. During his reign, Piazza Navona was transformed into a splendid
"Baroque theatre", under the angry gaze of the "talking statue", Pasquino. Under the direction of the most
important artists of those times, great buildings were completed and decorated: Palazzo Pamphilj (begun in 1645), the
Collegio Innocenziano, the Neptune and Moro fountains, and the splendid Fountain of the Four Rivers. The
fountains were fed by prolonging the route of the Aqua Virgo, the ancient aqueduct built
by Agrippa. The church of Sant’Agnese
in Piazza Navona was remodelled to receive the tomb of
Pope Innocent X and those of his relatives. Between the 17th and the 18th
centuries during the month of August, the water sluices were blocked and the water was
allowed to flood the piazza: the nobles in their carriages went up and down, enjoying the
fresh air, while the poor looked on from especially raised wooden benches. Today Palazzo Pamphilj is the seat of the
Brazilian Embassy, and of the Brazilian Cultural Centre. The Piazza itself is always very
busy: you can meet jugglers, magicians, portraitists in summer, while at Christmas and
Ephiphany it fills up with stalls selling coal and toys for the children.
Accessibility
Piazza Navona is a pedestrian precinct, is almost free of motor traffic, and has stone
benches where one can take a rest. Cafés and restaurants in the piazza have many open air
tables almost all year round. However, the central area of the piazza is raised, and one
must negotiate one step to inspect the fountains at close quarters.
in the photo: Piazza Navona |
