TREVI FOUNTAIN

Walk 1 concludes with Trevi Fountain, Piazza di Spagna and Via del Corso. Trevi Fountain, made famous in movies like “Three Coins in the Fountain” and “La Dolce Vita”, is very possibly the world’s most beautiful and famous fountain.

The heroic figure at the center of Trevi Fountain is Oceanus, god of the oceans, being pulled through a triumphal arch by wild horses amidst a torrential cascade while heralded by conch blowers. No, that bearded central figure is not the Roman god Neptune as commonly believed, because he is not holding a trident. Here, tradition says you should toss a coin over your shoulder once to come back to Rome, and once again for another wish. Approximately 3000 euro is thrown into the fountain every day, which subsidizes a supermarket for poor people.

Trevi was built during the 18th century but celebrates the ancient Aqueduct of the Virgin, one of a dozen important waterways that brought water into the city 2,000 years ago when Rome had more fresh water per capita than any modern city. These superb water channels were the only reason a million people could live here at the empire’s peak – giving rise to the ancient world’s largest city. Depending on the terrain, Roman aqueducts ran underground as well as aboveground in the outskirts, but when they came into the city, they were generally underground pipes, just like the modern water system. Don’t drink the water in the open fountain; the separate tap on the far right wall provides potable water. You will notice people filling their bottles, so if you’re thirsty, go get a drink.

Notice the wall behind the fountain is part of a palace, and high up on this wall are a series of sculptures that tell the story of the aqueduct. On the upper right side is a square frame with statues in relief, showing a young girl pointing down at water she discovered rushing from the ground, which became the source for this aqueduct, giving rise to its name, Aqua Virgin. On the upper left side is another frame showing the engineers who were about to begin construction of the aqueduct, including Marcus Agrippa, who played a role in construction of the Pantheon. Son-in-law of Augustus, Agrippa never became Emperor but was a very important engineer, general and political leader who made a big impact on the ancient city and is memorialized here at the fountain.

At the foundation of the fountain you see what appears to be natural bedrock but of course it is all carved by the designers, made from travertine stone, the main construction material of Rome. The fountain, built around the year 1750 by an architect named Nicholas Salvi, was based upon earlier ideas from the Baroque period, perhaps contributed by Bernini himself.

The fountain is called Trevi because three main streets come together at this point, along with a few smaller lanes, and this place is always very busy with visitors and vendors. The neighborhood is quite lively, as you might expect with such a major tourist attraction as Trevi Fountain. At night, Trevi is almost as popular as during the day, especially for young locals who gather here in hopes of meeting some friendly tourists. It’s a romantic spot where you’re always bound to see people hugging and kissing. Well lit and very safe, this makes an attractive place to come back for second look at night, busy until midnight.

Before continuing on to the Spanish Steps you might consider taking another gelato break because two short blocks north is the main shop of San Crispino, on Via della Panetteria. Just follow the parade of ice cream cones marching away from there to easily find this famous place, whjich has another branch near the Pantheon on Piazza Maddalena.

After Trevi, continue walking a few more blocks in the direction of the Spanish Steps by crossing the busy Via dei Tritone, using the traffic light at the bus stop. If you need a toilet, there is a handy Burger King on the corner, or if you can hold it, a large McDonalds awaits in ten minutes near the Spanish Steps.

St ANDREA

Along the way, drop into the Church of Sant’Andrea delle Fratte to see another combination of great works: a cloister and two marble angels by Bernini. Walk through the door on the right of the church façade, which leads into a peaceful cloister with a lush green garden.

There are some citrus trees here and a small burbling fountain in the center surrounded by columns and arcades. A cloister is an area for quiet meditation, prayer, strolling meditation, and a place where nuns and priests live. There are still residences up above. The church cloister is a quiet, harmonious sanctuary which offers a nice respite from the busy city streets right outside – it’s like stepping into another world. Pass from the cloister through the side door to have a look inside the church at two beautiful marble angels flanking the altar, personally carved by Bernini who lived right across the street.

The great artist was quite devout and this was his family church, so he decided to put the two most-perfect angels he had been preparing for the Ponte St. Angelo here instead, inside this church for protected display. They remained his family’s property for many generations. Ten other Bernini-designed Angels are standing on the bridge, visited at the start of Walk Four. Sant’Andrea delle Fratte is named “St. Andrew in the Bushes” because this location was considered countryside when it was built in the 12th century.

Upon exiting the church, walk diagonally across the little intersection to the corner of the building that was Bernini’s home (you can see his portrait on the wall), then turn and look back up at the church’s exposed brick dome designed by Bernini’s great rival, Borromini, in his typical convex, concave curved style. It is hard to see the dome because the buildings are packed in so closely together here, but you’ll get a glimpse while balancing precariously on this narrowest of sidewalks.

Continue along Via di Propoganda, passing a beautiful structure designed by Borromini called Palazzo di Propaganda Fide. This impressive building, a UNESCO World Heritage Site serving as offices for the Vatican, shows the hallmarks of Borromini’s style with concave and convex curves framing the windows and edges in graceful outlines. Ironically, just around the corner on the façade of the same building, the design is by Bernini, uniting these two rivals in a single building. Borromini also designed the Re Magi Chapel inside the building, and these were among his final works.

PIAZZA di SPAGNA

You now emerge into the famous Piazza di Spagna, a broad plaza stretching ahead to the Spanish Steps. This busy place is bursting with people all the time, drawn here by the special combination of world-famous staircase, major shopping district, cobbled pedestrian lanes, historic buildings and numerous restaurants.

Our route delivers you into south end of the piazza where you find McDonald’s on the right side, for a free and clean toilet upstairs. This was the first McDonald’s in Italy and horrified the local foodies so much it inspired them to launch the Slow Food movement, which has taken hold world-wide.

Also clustered around this end are: a tall Column of the Virgin (aka Column of the Immaculate Conception), with a bronze Madonna atop an ancient column; a busy taxi stand; the Spanish Embassy, which gives the area its name; Via Frattina, one of several major shopping streets that emanate from the piazza; and Piazza Mignanelli, a small adjacent square hosting Alla Rampa, a popular restaurant with an antipasto buffet where you can pile all you can eat on one plate for ten euro, which can be substantial if you construct the plate well, although their quality has diminished slightly with the recent change of management.

Overall impression of Piazza di Spagna is a painting come to life, with the curvaceous broad Spanish Steps elevating your eye to the twin-towered church of Trinita di Monti, the exclamation mark of an Egyptian obelisk, and equally interesting sights in all other directions.

By all means walk up the steps. You want to get involved with things you’re looking at, so don’t just stand back as a detached observer. Go ahead and climb; it’s not difficult. You need not go all the way to the top; halfway is fine and will provide a great view of the city below. Snap the photos while up there of course, the biggest sport among all travelers, and soak in the busy scene looking back down to the piazza.

This is one of the liveliest gathering spot in all of Europe, perhaps without equal, but this pattern of pedestrian-only retail zones is repeated to some degree in most of Europe’s major cities, each with its own unique cultural variation. This delightful ambience demonstrates why Rome has no need for modern shopping malls and shows how much America has lost by sacrificing its small towns and urban centers for the sake of uniform, suburban drive-in malls.

The famous staircase is like an outdoor stadium for people watching. Unfortunately, recent rules now prohibit sitting on the steps, but we can hope authorities will come to their senses and allow this tradition once again. Curiously, the actual name of the staircase is not “Spanish Steps” nor are they Spanish in design. Called “Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti” in Italian, they are really named after the French church at top, and their design is French baroque. On one side of the steps you will find a small private museum dedicated to John Keats, the great English Romantic poet who died on a trip to Italy when he was just 25 years old. You may remember his famous lines from “Ode on a Grecian Urn: “Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard/Are sweeter . . . . Beauty is truth, truth beauty--that is all/Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.”

On the left side as you face the steps is Babington’s Tea Room, in business since 1893 and serving light meals along with varieties of tea. For coffee, try Caffé Greco, the oldest (1760) in Rome, one block away on Via dei Condotti. Although expensive when sitting at one of Greco’s classy tables, you pay much less standing at the bar, as always.

While the grand staircase is the center of interest for most tourists, there is much more to see in this Spagna neighborhood. Five parallel shopping streets emanate from the piazza, extending four blocks to the Corso, creating a 20-block grid of upscale, retail heaven. This is Rome’s version of 5th Avenue and Rodeo Drive: Armani, Gucci, Bulgari, Versace, Prada, Vuitton, Benetton, Ferragamo, Valentino, Max Mara, Cartier, D&G, Fendi.

In addition to these famous names there are another 100 smaller boutiques and hip shops you never heard of but might enjoy visiting. Serious shoppers need a day or two here, but the rest of us can wander around for an hour and sample the flavors of this wonderful assemblage. Although viciously expensive, these shops are set in a picturesque, old-fashioned neighborhood that includes down-scale pizzerias, sidewalk kiosks, wine bars, wandering vendors, sketchy characters, and a mixed crowd perambulating the cobbled funky lanes.

Via Condotti, with its exclusive shops, is the most famous street here, but the parallel lanes are equally interesting: Frattina, Vite, Borgognona, Carrozze and my favorite, Via della Croce, which has the most varied mix of shops, bars, cafes, pizzerias, fine dining, flower stands, and people-watching opportunities. Just stand on a corner mid-way along Croce and observe the foot traffic for a few minutes. Although this is a “walking” tour, you should spend adequate time just being still, hanging out and observing, or grabbing an outdoor table for refreshments while you gaze.

Half-way down Via della Croce you’ll see a typical pizzeria – pop in and observe how they do it in Italy and particularly in Rome. The pizza is already cooked, on display for you at the counter, looking good. Use your hands to indicate how big a piece you want and they cut it to order, charging you by weight.

They quickly reheat it, fast food Italian style. Maybe include pasta, salads and gelato for the complete meal. You can sit outside at one of their tables or take the pizza out on the street, maybe back at the Steps or a bench on nearby Via del Corso. It’s a nice, casual, cheap way to eat.

ALTAR OF PEACE

You probably have just enough time left to visit to a lovely historic site nearby, then return to the streets of Spagna for the rest of the evening. The Altar of Peace (“Ara Pacis”) is a major archaeological site conveniently located in the city center, just six blocks (500 meters) west of the Spanish steps, and makes a nice option towards the end of your long walk. It is contained in a dramatic building designed by Richard Meier, the famed American architect of the new Getty Museum in Los Angeles and the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art. The new museum has become a focal point for tourists and residents alike, with many groups of young students visiting to learn about their history found in this site. Last admission is at 6 PM and the building closes at 7 PM. The museum is very easy to find, located just two blocks west of the Via del Corso between the Tiber River and the tomb of the Emperor Augustus, a brick mound covered with trees.

The Altar of Peace, dating back to the year 9 B.C., commemorates important victories by Emperor Augustus in Hispania and Gaul which ushered in an era of peace and prosperity for Rome. Life-size white marble relief sculptures, including that of Augustus in line with other nobles, parade around the outside of the altar to celebrate peace and fertility by making offerings to the gods.

The exact names and nature of the gods are not known because there are no inscriptions or written records about them, although there are some references in the diaries of Augustus to the structure: “On my return from Spain and Gaul, in the consulship of Tiberius Nero after successfully arranging affairs in those provinces, the Senate resolved that an altar of the Augustine peace should be consecrated in honor of my return, and ordered that the magistrates and priests and Vestal Virgins should perform an annual sacrifice there.”

The altar was discovered and excavated at the turn of the 19th century, just a few hundred meters away from its present location. It was repaired, relocated, then reconstructed. There had been some damage and fragments of the altar had been shipped to various museums, but most of its pieces have been put back together and it now looks almost brand-new.

The museum building has raised controversy because of its modern design, yet it is very functional and effectively protects this delicate 2,000-year old marble masterpiece. It showcases the large altar in the middle of a peaceful, air-conditioned space entirely framed by windows in order to create an outdoor feeling. A downstairs exhibit gallery features computer graphic representations of how the altar may have looked originally, showing the carved figures painted in bright colors, as was typical in those days. The lower level includes a lounge, restrooms and meeting space so it’s quite a nice improvement over the previous dilapidated exhibit structure.

Another imporant historic monument on this block is the tomb of Augustus, which had been ignored and neglected until recent years, when much effort has gone into restoring it and opening the site to the public.

Now walk a one block back over to the Via del Corso to participate in the passeggiata, especially lovely if you are here at twilight when it is reserved for pedestrians and very busy, as we also suggest for the end of Walk 4, so you will have several opportunities to enjoy this wonderful stroll.

Walk 1 continues at Via del Corso.