THE Piazza Navona

The Piazza Navona is one of the most popular places in Rome, I will definitely miss walking through this piazza. Whether I was going to grab a gelato, or heading up there to take some great pictures of the three fountains within, I always looked forward to it. I expect that I will mostly miss how wide open it is, and how there are always vendors with great art. Walking through one last time earlier today I purchased a few pieces myself, one of the Colosseum, and one of the Vatican City. As I left I turned back for one last glance of the grand piazza, until the next time I can grace it with my presence.

Fontana del Nettuno

As mentioned in a previous blog, the Fontana del Nettuno features more active sculptures. Centered by a sculpture of Neptune taking down an octopus in fight, while using his trident. Interestingly enough, contrary to what I had previously written about this fountain being more lively, it was actually once much more plain. Apparently, in order to add more symmetry to Piazza Navona's landscape, this statue of Neptune was added to the middle of the fountain. Originally the only statue that featured a struggle in Piazza Navona was in the Fontana del Moro, within which there is an Ethiopian in a struggle with a dolphin. Also later added, were the sculptures of the seahorses which surround the god Neptune. I really enjoy this fountain, mainly in part because of the sea horses, they have a lot of character.










http://www.romaviva.com/Piazza-Navona/neptune_fountain.htm

Fontana del Moro

This week on a walk through Piazza Navona I took specific notice of one fountain in particular, the Moro fountain. Its difficult to tell what the statues that line the fountain are supposed to represent, but it looks as though they are drinking out of some sort of bottle. Centering the fountain is an image of a triton who is riding a dolphin, although it more looks as more as if he is wrestling with it. The fountain is well known for the special marble with which it was made, an antique rose marble. This fountain is peaceful as compared to the Fontana di Nettuno which features a much more active portrayal.

http://goitaly.about.com/od/romeitaly/ss/piazzanavona_4.htm

Gymnasts and Dancers

On numerous occasions in my nightly adventures, I have wandered through Piazza Navona, one of the great Piazzas in all of Rome. Quite commonly I have spent time watching some of the performers who partake in different activities there each night. In my past two walks through the Piazza Navona I have seen men doing different dances and gymnastics.

The dancers I saw were spinning on their heads and then pushing off of their hands into the air. The next night the gymnasts I saw were bending their bodies in many different directions. One of the performers took the top half of his torso and brought it behind him through the front of his legs.

Bargain Much?

Trying to haggle with vendors is not always easy as I experienced the other night. While in Piazza Navona the other night I saw a few paintings I really liked. I have found that with patience it is usually easy to get a fair price from vendors, however this was not the case the other night. The vendor had already agreed to sell me one painting for a set price, when I tried to get a second for the same price he would not sell it to me, and even claimed that I was trying to rip him off.

All money issues aside, the Piazza Navona is a great place to pick up some fairly cheap art. Quite often you can find art salesmen in front of the Quattro dei Fuimi fountain trying to sell paintings.

Late Night America

Many bars in Rome close at two, however the careful wanderer can find others that stay open much later on the eve of a major sports event. One such bar that is continually loaded with Penn State and Pittsburgh Steelers fans, finds a way to keep a few after hours game watchers from the Pennsylvania area for Penguins playoff games. This bar is located on one of the streets surrounding Piazza Navona. It is great to see a congregation of people celebrating a common cause thousands of miles away, and in their usual fashion. For these Americans, they have three hours of time to act like Americans, and be themselves in their own right. It isn't too often that in Europe you're able to find a place that is so dedicated to American teams. By the late hours most of the Italians have cleared out and Americans are all that are left. It is certainly a change after six hours in a bar, when you enter at about 23:00 and Piazza Navona is filled with merchants and people, by the time you leave the Piazza is empty. All that can be seen are street sweepers, most people are starting to get up for work, just while we take our walk home.

Pretty Sneaky

The other night I was sitting on the outside of the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi and was approached by a man. Before I had the chance to walk away he started weaving something around my wrist, it was some sort of bracelet. After a small conversation with the man, in which he asked me about my studies and if I enjoyed Rome, he asked for fifteen Euro. I neglected to pay anything at first, telling him I had no money. He then kept hassling me so I told him I had a bit of change and gave him a few coins. He was a younger guy who spoke good English, and he started laughing at the low payment. It was at this point that he said "You're good, you should come work for me." Referring to how I was able to be so sly when dealing with his business.

Piazza Navona Landscape

The Piazza Navona has one of the more unique shapes and designs to it of all the Piazza's in Rome. Apparently in the guide book it said that this piazza was once flooded by its fountains every August. Then apparently the dwellers of the streets would paddle after the rich who rode around in this unbelievably massive "pool". Above is one of the more famous domes in all of Rome, the Dome of Sant'Andrea della Valle. If we were to have lived in the times of this great flooding, one might have paddled around and admired this magnificent tower above. The domes windows allow a light from above to tear throughout the church, definitely something I recommend giving a look for yourself.

Fontana dei Quattro Fuimi

Finally, I have settled on a theme for the place I will write about, Piazza Navona. I chose this place because it is a place I often go and I love the three fountains through its center. I am also intrigued to learn about the many buildings surrounding this famous Piazza. The first thing you will probably notice entering the piazza is the Fontana dei Quattro Fuimi, a great fountain in the center of the piazza. Many friends and I have sat in front of this fountain and taken pictures, which is a popular tourist attraction. There are also many salesmen surrounding this fountain, because it is such a tourist hot spot. Rising high above the fountain is an Egyptian obelisk, which is inscripted with heiroglyphics.

References:
http://www.romaonline.net/Contents/Luoghi_Txt/Tour_it/agonale/fontnavona