Campo de’ Fiori is one one the liveliest neighboorhood in Rome, a stroll here is one of the best things to do in Rome. It is located in the heart of the historic centre, between Piazza Navona and the charming narrow streets that lead to the Tiber. Its name literally translated means “field of flowers”.
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The square known as Campo de’ Fiori was once a meadow, and, during the Ancient times, it was located between the Pompey’s Theater and the Tiber River.
Because the river was prone to flooding, the area was undeveloped for many centuries.
The piazza as we see today only began to take shape during the fifteenth century, under Pope Callistus III who decided to pave it on 1456, as several important buildings had already been constructed in the area, including the Orsini Palace and the Palazzo della Cancelleria. The Campo de’ Fiori became a very popular part of Rome frequented by the most influential historical figures. Its popularity drew new businesses to the area, opening workshops, inns and taverns making this neighborhood one of the most prosperous of the city.
For centuries public executions took place at Campo de’ Fiori. Criminals and so-called heretics were often tortured and executed here. Many were burned at the stake while others were hanged. One of the more well-known figures executed on this square was the Italian philosopher Giordano Bruno, who in the year 1600 was burned at the stake by the Roman Inquisition because the ideas he spoke of were “dangerous”. The Dominican friar was one of the first to realize that stars are actually suns in the universe. In 1887, sculptor and freemason Ettore Ferrari designed a statue of Bruno. It was placed in the piazza, facing the Vatican as if in defiance of all it stands for. Bruno is now considered an advocate and martyr of the right to free speech.
Today the square is much more peaceful than during the Middle Ages. The Campo de’ Fiori is currently one of the most beloved parts of the city. Since 1869, every morning from Monday through Saturday it houses a market well-known for its flowers and fruit and vegetable. After the sunsets, the area becomes one of the best meeting places in Rome thanks to its wide variety of restaurants, cocktail bars and terraces. There are probably more craft workshops and restorers’ studios, as well as family-run neighbourhood stores, than in any other part of the city.
Campo de’ Fiori is for sure one of the places to visit in Rome
Palazzo della Cancelleria
This building, which is a World Heritage Site and is attributed to Bramante, was once the papal chancery and still belongs to the Holy See. It now houses the Romana Rota, the highest ecclesiastical appeal tribunal of the Roman Catholic church. A permanent exhibition of replicas of many of Leonardo Da Vinci’s machines and designs is open to the public.
Palazzo Farnese
Currently the home of the French embassy to Italy, Palazzo Farnese is one of the most important high Renaissance palaces in Rome. Artists such as Giacomo Della Porta, Michelangelo, da Sangallo and Vignola all left their mark on the majestic palace whose Carracci gallery has recently been restored. Behind Palazzo Farnese runs the quaint Via Giulia. Ivy lined, this road is pleasant to walk down to avoid the noise and crowds while taking in Rome’s elegance. There are many beautiful palazzi with imposing doors and housing expensive antique shops.
Fontana della Terrina
In 1590 a fountain was erected on Campo de’ Fiori to provide the neighborhood with fresh water supplied by a branch of the Aqua Virgo aqueduct. The fountain was designed by Giacomo della Porta. Due to its resemblance to a terrine it later became known as the Fontana della Terrina. At the end of the nineteenth century the fountain had to make way for the monument to Giordano Bruno. In 1925 it was moved to the piazza in front of the Chiesa Nuovo where it still stands today. Around the same time a copy of the fountain was made for the Campo de’ Fiori. The fountain, which occupies a spot on the west side of the square, is almost identical to the original except that this one does not have a lid on it, hence it looks more like a bowl than a terrine.
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