The Spanish Steps are an unusual architectural curiosity, one of those places that are recommended for visiting in Rome. A cascade of polished stone steps majestically descends from the top of the Pincho hill right to the foot of the Spanish Square (Piazza di Spagna).
This attraction is one of the unique business cards of Rome. The wide baroque steps attract guests of the Italian capital, serve as a source of inspiration for filmmakers and artists.
Famous fashion houses: Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Bulgari, Dior chose to place their stores a stone's throw from such a grand place.
Story
Having admired the brilliance of smooth travertine steps, travelers will certainly be interested in the past of the Spanish Steps.
The most curious fact from the biography of the attraction is its real name: "Staircase to the Temple of Trinita dei Monti" (Italian: Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti).
The mysterious "Spaniard" actually has a very mixed story, built on the confrontation of Spanish and French ambitions in Italy.
The Trinita dei Monti titular church, towering on the Pincho hill, was erected in the 16th century by the efforts of King Louis XII. The temple became a stronghold of the French monarchy in Rome. It was of great importance to French citizens living away from their homeland. At the same time, the Spanish Square, located at the foot of the Pincho hill, was no less important for the Spaniards, since it housed the Embassy of Spain.
Louis XIV was related to the Spanish monarchs, being married to the daughter of the king - Maria Theresa of Austria. Despite this, the states had rather tense relations. To rectify the situation, the French politician Etienne Geffier decided to connect the temple of Trinità dei Monti and Spanish Square with a staircase. To implement such a symbolic idea in Rome, Geffier allocated funding in the amount of 20 thousand Italian scudos.
Building
According to the original plan, the Spanish Steps were to become a grand and incredibly pretentious architectural ensemble. The most controversial moment of the French idea is the equestrian statue of Louis XIV, crowning the building. The Roman authorities considered themselves offended and vetoed the construction. Only in 1717 a competition was held among architects. He won the creative tandem of Alessandro Specchi (Alessandro Specchi) and Francesco de Sanctis (Francesco de Sanctis). The architectural project was already implemented in 1723, having spent considerable time planning the land of the hill, strengthening the area and doing other preparatory work.
For two years, workers and builders pored over the construction of 138 steps carved from travertine.
As a result, the Spanish Steps received a wide central segment, framed by two narrower ones. Closer to the top of the hill there is a viewing platform, which can be reached by two crescents of side spans. On the sides of the steps were limited by stone sides in the style of Italian Baroque. To decorate, architects diplomatically used the heraldic symbolism of the French Bourbon dynasty, as well as the image of an eagle and a crown - attributes of papal authority in Rome.
Modern look
From the time of completion of construction in 1725 until the 90s of the XX century, the Spanish Steps did not know any serious construction interventions. However, in the dilapidated steps, corroded by time and rain stones, there is little romance left. City authorities have found funds to restore the memorial of history and architecture. In 1997, a refreshed attraction returned to the map of tourist routes. Once again, large flows of travelers rushed to the most beautiful staircase in Europe, located in Rome.
With the advent of spring, flowerpots with blooming azaleas and petunias bloom the stairs in bright colors. In winter, the wide steps turn into a stage for Christmas scenes. The Trinita dei Monti Church is a wonderful decoration for the view of the Spanish Steps.
However, her interior decoration is of considerable interest. The most famous exhibit of the temple - the sculptural group "Descent from the Cross", made by a student of Michelangelo Daniele de Volterra (Italian: Daniele da Volterra).
A leisurely walk up the stairs will provide guests with a wonderful view of the Spanish Square and the streets adjacent to it. The building at the foot of the stairs to the right is a house museum dedicated to the work of the English romantic poets John Keats and Mary Shelley. It is said that young Keats enthusiastically read his works to an already held woman and poetess Shelley, walking along the stone steps.
Also, the Spanish Steps allows you to look down on the Barcaccia Fountain (Italian: Barcaccia), which adorns the Spanish Square. The fountain was made by the famous Italian sculptor Pietro Bernini (Pietro Bernini, father of Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini) at the beginning of the XVII century. There is a legend that the once spilled waters of the Tiber threw the remains of a fishing longboat onto the Italian shore. It was this story that the master embodied in stone.
No matter how loud it may sound, the Spanish Steps in Rome has its own filmography. Refined Audrey Hepburn (Eng. Audrey Hepburn) in the melodrama "Roman Vacations" in 1953, enjoyed ice cream, sitting on the famous steps.
Many Italian films cannot do without metropolitan views, including frames from Pincho Hill. Apart from the ladder’s merit list are fashion shows by maestro Valentino, fashion parties from Dolce & Gabbana and other spectacular events from the world of high fashion.
How to get there
Having looked in the column "registration" of our Spanish woman, you can see the address: 00187, Italy, Rome, Staircase to Trinita dei Monti (Italian. 00187, Italy, Rome, Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti)
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