Piazza di Spagna

On the Piazza Navona photo, I said that square was the social heart of the city. Then on a photo of St. Peter's Square, I said that it was the most famous piazza in Rome, although it's in the Vatican City. I may have been wrong about both. The Spanish Steps could be Rome's most famous piazza and the social heart of the city, at least after dark. The piazza has a thriving night scene, from the shopping, bars, and restaurants along the Via Condotti (rivaling the Via Veneto for Rome's most exclusive shops) to the people gathering to sit, talk, and sip cappuccino.

The piazza got its name about 300 years ago from the Spanish Embassy, which used to be located here.

The Boat Fountain in the foreground was designed by Bernini's father, Pietro Bernini. Like all of Rome's fountains, it is powered by the ancient aqueduct system put into place milleniums ago. The water pressure at the different fountains varies according to which aqueduct they are connected to. This one is not particularly powerful -- the water gush is much stronger, for example, at the Nicola Salvi-designed Trevi Fountain, which sits atop the Aqua Virgo aqueduct.

LENS: 17-35 at ~24mm | FILM: Fuji Velvia | EXPOSURE: f/22 at 5 minutes | DATE: 10/03

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