Piazza Navona

Rome, Italy

Contributed by Project for Public Spaces

Piazza Navona has all the qualities that a great square should have.

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Why It Works

When asked, “What is the greatest square in the world?”, many would say Piazza Navona. Why? Because it has all the qualities that a great square should have: major attractions, such as Bernini’s great fountain; excellent programming (including one of the world’s best Christmas markets); lively uses at the edges; and a design so flexible it is filled with people even at night and in the dead of winter.

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User Comments:

06/20/06 Thomas Paine said:
Three fountains, plenty of perimeter cafe seating, no car in sight, complete enclosure, a slight slope north to south, not one tree, a lively ring of facades, and plenty of surrounding pedestrian friendly lanes and alleys. Stone paved, perfect for mimes, sword swallowers and artists to strut their stuff. Good late PM shade. Feels like a room. (Tom Paine, Wellesley MA)
08/30/08 fabrizio tonello said:
As an Italian, I respectfully disagree with this nomination. While it is obvious that Piazza Navona has a wonderful, enclosed, form, and Bernini's masterpiece as a main attraction, the crowds of tourists suppress any plesant experience there. Tourism, with its depressing souvenir shops, forbids the casual visitor from relaxing, reading a newspaper, or meeting friends there. Unfortunately, this is more and more true for other Italian squares like piazza del Campo in Siena, piazza S. Marco in Venice, or piazza della Signoria in Florence. Therefore, you should look for "Great Places" where some authentic experience of pleasant city living is possible.

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