Rome is a fascinating city full of history and timeless views, such as the staircase of Trinità dei Monti: let’s find out how many steps the staircase of Piazza di Spagna has and what you need to know about this pearl in the heart of the eternal city!
The capital is one of the most known and loved cities in the world also and above all thanks to the signs of a glorious past mixed with modern liveliness.
In the center of the beautiful Piazza di Spagna rises the majestic staircase of Trinità dei Monti, the staircase that has been the backdrop to major events and film sets.
Where is it and how to get to the Spanish Steps
The staircase of Trinità dei Monti is located in the heart of the capital, connecting the Pincio (where the church of the Holy Trinity is located) and the square below (Piazza di Spagna).
What is the name of the district where Piazza di Spagna is located? The square and the steps of Trinità dei Monti are located inside the Colonna district.
The Trinità dei Monti staircase can be easily reached by metro A, getting off at the Piazza di Spagna stop and walking along a few meters.
You can also get there by taking train lines R, RV, FL4 and FC3 or bus 80, 83, 89, 120F, 150F,160 E 495 and stopping near the Spanish Steps.
Steps of Trinità dei Monti: history and curiosity
The staircase of Piazza di Spagna in Rome bears the signature of the architect Francesco De Santics, but it was not always so.
Until the mid-seventeenth century, in fact, there was still Piazza di Spagna with the headquarters of the Spanish embassy and Piazza di Francia with the headquarters of the French embassy.
In 1660, thanks to Cardinal Mazarin, the staircase of Trinità dei Monti was about to change its appearance: from an elm-filled escarpment to a staircase.
The death of the cardinal had blocked the works (despite the funding of Stefano Guaffer) but, thanks to the will of Benedict XIII, it was completed and inaugurated on the occasion of the Jubilee of 1725.
How many steps are those of the Spanish steps? It is a white travertine staircase composed of eleven flights of twelve steps each.
What to see?
The staircase of Trinità dei Monti is a majestic staircase composed of eleven flights of twelve steps each alternating with recesses and ledges and opening to small areas of rest.
Next to the staircase is the Keats-Shelley Memorial House, the historic house where the English poet John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley lived (now a museum to save the historic building).
Near the square and under the steps of Trinità dei Monti is the Barcaccia, the boat-shaped fountain from the stern and the raised bow commissioned by Pope Urban VIII to Pietro Bernini between 1626 and 1629.
Looking up, right at the top of the staircase, is the Pincio with the church of the Holy Trinity of the Mountains dating back to the sixteenth century. The two bell towers, the two staircases and the masterpieces preserved inside make it unique.
Next to the church stands the Trinità dei Monti Convent where it is possible to contemplate prospective research and figurative evidence dating back to the seventeenth century. Since 1818 it houses one of the most elite schools in Rome.
In front of the church and positioned at the top of the steps there is the Sallustian obelisk that, replicating the style of the Egyptian obelisks, served as a decoration of the luxurious gardens of the northeastern area of the city (Horti Sallustiani).
What are the other nearby attractions?
The Spanish Steps and the Spanish Steps are located in the heart of Rome, close to many other attractions.
Opposite the staircase of Trinità dei Monti is Via Condotti, the luxury shopping street in the capital. It is important because it connects the Spanish Steps to Via del Corso.
Entering via del Babuino, you can admire the church of Ognissanti in neo-Gothic style definitely distinguishable from the surrounding architecture.
Among the attractions not to be missed is Campo Marzio (a district with a medieval and Renaissance flavor really impressive).
If you reach the top of the staircase then you can turn left and walk along Viale della Trinità dei Monti and reach Villa Medici which is, still, the center of the cultural and artistic activity of the city. It is no coincidence that it has been the seat of the French Academy since 1803.
Nearby is also Villa Borghese, a green lung where you can admire nature, buildings, sculptures, ponds and fountains.
On the contrary, going to the right, take Via Sistina and you arrive directly at Piazza Barberini: there you can not fail to admire the Triton Fountain made by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
Nearby (more precisely in Via Francesco Crispi) there is the former convent of the Discalced Carmelites transformed into the Gallery of Modern Art in Rome Capital with a program of events and exhibitions truly unique.
Where to sleep
The staircase of Piazza di Spagna is just one of the wonders of Rome and visiting them in one day is practically impossible. The Colonna district and the surrounding areas offer various accommodation solutions in the city center: B&Bs, hotels, apartments, holiday homes and more.
Copertina: michelangelobuonarrotietornato
