Walk 4 continued:

Piazza Barberini -- Margutta – Babuino -- Piazza del Popolo

PIAZZA BARBERINI

Piazza Barberini is one block further downhill from Quatro Fontane, with Bernini’s famous Fountain of the Triton. To the left of the Piazza Barberini lies the Piazza de’ Cappuccini, in which is situated the church of Santa Maria della Concezione, or dei Cappuccini, founded in 1624 by Cardinal Barberini. Beneath the church are four burial vaults decorated in a ghastly manner with the bones of about 4000 departed Capuchins. Each vault contains a tomb with earth from Jerusalem.

The American Embassy is 400 meters north on Via Veneto, if you lost your passport, otherwise there is no need to take a look at this former palace surrounded by high fence.

From the piazza walk down Via Tritone two blocks to Via dei Due Macelli, a lovely shopping street that will then lead you in 500 meters to Piazza di Spagna, which you visited in the first walk.

SPAGNA

You could meander some more in the delightful grid of streets at the foot of the Spanish Steps that you saw previously, if you did not see enough the first time. It is an excellent neighborhood of small boutiques carrying specialized Italian clothing, food items and accessories you will not find at home. However, there is one more adventure left to consider to complete the Grand Slam in our walking tour of Rome’s most fascinating places, heading to Piazza del Popolo along a route with more of those charming pedestrian and shopping streets.

TRIDENT

The walk to Piazza del Popolo, just 700 meters from Piazza di Spagna, is an excellent amble along a delightful route busy with people and shops, which could turn into several kilometers if you meander. This neighborhood from Spagna to Popolo is called the “Trident,” between three main streets: Corso, Babuino and Ripetta, permeated with side lanes, little shops, art galleries, churches, bars, restaurants, hotels and cafes.

Via Margutta, is one of the artsy little side streets on the right (east) edge of the Trident, and is especially fun to stroll, with no cars allowed.

PIAZZA DEL POPOLO

The Trident comes together at the almost-twin Baroque churches on one side of the Piazza del Popolo. The other side of this vast plaza is home to Rome’s earliest domed Renaissance church, Santa Maria del Popolo. The piazza is bounded on east and west by curved walls with groups of Neptune and Tritons, and of Roma between the Tiber and the Anio.

A towering 3,000 year-old Egyptian obelisk standing the the center was originally erected by Augustus in 10 B.C. in the Circus Maximus to commemorate the subjugation of Egypt, and dedicated to the Sun. The obelisk was removed to its present position by order of Sixtus V. in 1589. Around it sit four water-spouting lions in a grand fountain, anchoring all the elements in perfect Roman style. No longer a parking lot, the piazza is dedicated to pedestrians.

The monumental Porta del Popolo gateway on the north side of the piazza was constructed in 1562 by Vignola on the site of the Porta Flaminia of Aurelian’s wall. The side towards the town was added by Bernini in 1655, as part of the Catholic celebration to welcome Sweden’s Queen Christina, who had just shocked northern Europe with her abdication and conversion to Catholicism, a major triumph of the Counter Reformation. In 1878 the gate was enlarged by the addition of two side-portals.

SANTA MARIA DEL POPOLO

Artistic treasures inside make this one of Rome’s richest small churches. Raphael designed the mosaic dome and Chigi Chapel, which contains two statues by Bernini (who also designed the facade). This magnificent Cappella Chigi was constructed under the direction of Raphael for Agostino Chigi in honor of Our Lady of Loreto, in the form of a Greek cross, with a lofty dome, in the style affected for such structures in the 16th century.

On the vaulting of the dome are Mosaics executed in 1516 by Luigi della Pace, from Raphael’s cartoons, admirably adapted to the spaces they fill and displaying the master’s power in its highest manifestation. Around the central circular scene, which represents the Creator surrounded by angels, are grouped seven planet symbols and a genius leaning on a globe, separated by ornamental divisions.

 In the Choir, ceiling-frescoes by Pinturicchio (1508-9): Coronation of the Virgin, the Four Evangelists, and the Four Fathers of the church, Gregory, Ambrose, Jerome, and Augustine, in excellent preservation, and long deservedly admired for the skillful distribution of space.

There are two major paintings by Caravaggio in a side chapel; an altarpiece by Annibale Carracci; a chapel by Fontana; tombs by Sansovino; and architecture by Bramante.

For light refreshments, try Rosati or Canova, two of Rome’s grand old cafes on the piazza, or have dinner at Dal Bolognese. A nearby family-operated trattoria, La Buca di Ripetta, would also feed you very well. The 5-star Hotel de Russie at the top of Via del Babuino has an outstanding restaurant set in their garden courtyard, and deluxe toilets in the lobby.

Perhaps best of all, reward yourself at Rome’s most-popular vegetarian restaurant, il Margutta Vegetarian, with rich flavors that will even delight meat-eaters whether seating indoors or out on the pedestrian via Margutta. At dinner, reservations are necessary.

PASSEGGIATA

When you have finished with Popolo, you can get back to your hotel by taxi, metro, or on foot. If you have the energy, walking back from here along Via del Corso in the late afternoon and early evening is a wonderful pleasure because it turns into a pedestrian mall for the passeggiata, that delightful evening stroll, with thousands of people out seeing and being seen. It is a tradition throughout Italy, but here we are in the biggest city, with the most wonderful display of people in motion. Spend some time and enjoy it.

Continue on with our final Walk 5.