Spanish Steps
Saturday, October 6th, 2007Spanish Steps in Rome
The Spanish Steps, or Scalinata di Spagna, connect the Spanish Square (Piazza di Spagna) in Rome with the Trinitá dei Monti church on the Pincio hill. It is one of Rome’s most popular places to hang out, especially for young tourists who turn it into an enormous international meeting place during the afternoons and evenings.
The Spanish Steps are at their most beautiful in May, when gigantic flowerpots full of azaleas decorate the terraces.
Why “Spanish” Steps?
One of the questions my guests at the Bed and Breakfast Chaplin Hostel Rome ask most often is why the Spanish Steps are called “Spanish”. The steps are named for the Spanish Square at the foot of the steps, which in its turn is called Spanish because the Spanish Embassy used to be located on it.
Description
At the foot of the steps lies the Fontana delle Barcaccia (1627-1629), desigend by Pietro Bernini, father of the better known Gianlorenzo. Legend has it that the fountain is built at the exact spot where a small boat was stranded after the Tiber flooded the area.
The Keats-Shelley Memorial can be found on the right hand corner at the foot of the steps.
Having climbed the 138 steps you will come to the Trinitá dei Monti church. Initially the French, whose idea it was to connect the church (which is French) with the square by means of the Spanish Steps, found their plans rejected, since the Pope did not like their idea of building a huge statue of Louis XIV at the top. It was not until 1723 the the architect Francisco de Sanctis came up with a design that found favor with both the Pope and the French.
Building the Spanish Steps took 3 years (1723- 1726) and was financed by the then French ambassador Etienne Gueffier.
The style is baroque.
No eating or drinking
It is not allowed to eat or drink at the Spanish Steps, a law which is hardly obeyed and even less enforced.
From the Chaplin B&B to the Spanish Steps
From Bed and Breakfast Chaplin Hostel Rome you take subway line A from Rome Termini and get off at Spagna (3 stops). Take the main exit and turn left.
MacDonald’s
An unexpected tourist attraction is the MacDonald’s situated on your right when you are facing the Spanish Steps. For a while it was apparently the branch which made the most money of all the MacDonalds’ in the entire world. There used to be lines, not only at the cash register, but also to get into the place. It is not that bad anymore, so if you have a couple of minutes to spare, walk up to the entrance, think of the MacDonald’s in your home town, walk in and compare. Then walk out and go eat some real food.