Rome blog for Bed & Breakfast Chaplin Hostel

Piazza Barberini – the square itself

Piazza Barberini lies at the foot of some or Rome’s most important streets, the Via Veneto (known for its wealth and its paparazzi past), the Via Sistina (leading to the top of the Spanish Steps) and the Via del Tritone. It was not until the end of the 16th century that Piazza Barberini began to have an urban look. Formerly it was a suburb of Rome and one had to cross a brook to reach it.

Palazzo Barberini

The last and most important owners of the area were the Barberini family, one of Rome’s most famous and influential families. Off to one side of the piazza you will see the Palazzo Barberini, which houses the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica. Around the end of the 16th century Piazza Barberini was crossed by Strada Felic (which is now Via Sistina) and Pope Urban VIII Barberini transformed the old Villa Sforza into what is now Piazza Barberini. The most important artists of the time worked at the building, from Carlo Maderno, who started the work, to Francesco Borromini, and from Pietro da Cortona to Gian Lorenzo Bernini, who did the central block. The coat of arms referencing the heraldic symbols of the Barberini’s (the bees and the sun) were done by Borromini.

The fountains

The latter was also requested to build two fountains, the Triton one, still standing in the middle of the square today and the “Fountain of the Bees”, standing today at the beginning of the Via Veneto.

The Fountain of the Triton is one of the most beautiful sculptures to be found in Rome. Bernini made it in honour of his benefactor, Pope Urban VIII. Four dolphins support two valves with a triton on it who blows water through a shell.

The fountain of the Barberini Bees used to be in the Via Due Macelli and was moved to its present position when the Via del Tritone got enlarged. Above the bees you can see St. Peter’s crossed keys (the keys were always added to a family crest when a son was elected pope).

How to reach from the Rome B&B Chaplin Hostel

As usual, you can either use Rome’s public transport system (metro line A from Rome Termini to Barberini – 2 stops) or you can go for a beautiful 15 minute walk. Starting from the Chaplin Bed and Breakfast you cross Roma Termini, walk towards Piazza della Repubblica (with another gorgeous fountain), go straight ahead instead of turning left into the Via Nazionale and walk on until you come to 3 roads forking: the left one is Via Barberini and at the end of it you will find Piazza Barberini.