Campo de' Fiori | |
|---|---|
| City square | |
 The daily market with thestatue of Giordano Bruno in the background | |
| Location | Rome, Italy |
 Click on the map for a fullscreen view | |
| Coordinates:41°53′45″N12°28′19″E / 41.8957°N 12.472°E /41.8957; 12.472 | |
Campo de' Fiori (Italian:[ˈkampodeˈfjoːri],lit. 'Field of Flowers') is a rectangular square south ofPiazza Navona inRome, Italy, at the border between therioniParione andRegola. It is diagonally southeast of thePalazzo della Cancelleria and one block northeast of thePalazzo Farnese.The name dates to theMiddle Ages when the area was ameadow.[citation needed]
Inancient Rome, the area was unused space betweenPompey's Theatre and the flood-proneTiber. Though theOrsini established themselves on the south flank of the space in the 13th century, until the 15th century, the square remained undeveloped. The first church in the immediate vicinity was built during the pontificate ofBoniface IX (1389–1404),Santa Brigida a Campo de' Fiori; with the building-up of therione, the church has now come to face that part of the former square that is nowPiazza Farnese. In 1456, underPope Callixtus III, Ludovico Cardinal Trevisani paved the area as part of a large project to improve rione Parione. This renewal was both the result and cause of several important buildings being built in the surroundings; in particular, theOrsini palace on Campo de' Fiori was rebuilt. The RenaissancePalazzo della Cancelleria can be seen in Vasi's etching, rising majestically beyond the far right corner of the square.
Campo de' Fiori has never been architecturally formalized. The square has always remained a focus for commercial and street culture: the surrounding streets are named for trades—Via dei Balestrari (crossbow-makers),Via dei Baullari (coffer-makers),Via dei Cappellari (hat-makers),Via dei Chiavari (key-makers) andVia dei Giubbonari (tailors). With new access streets installed bySixtus IV—Via Florea andVia Pellegrino— the square became a part of theVia papale ("Pope's road"), the street linkingBasilica of St. John Lateran and theVatican and traversed by the Pope after his election during the so-called "Cavalcata del possesso", when he reached the Lateran from the Vatican to take possession of the city. This urban development brought wealth to the area: A flourishing horse market took place twice a week (Monday and Saturday) and many inns, hotels and shops came to be situated in Campo de' Fiori. The most famous of them, theTaverna della Vacca ("cow's Inn") still stands at the southwest corner of the square, at the begin of Via de' Cappellari. It belonged toVannozza dei Cattanei, the most famous lover ofAlexander VI Borgia, whose family seal is still on display on the house facade.
Executions used to be held publicly in Campo de' Fiori. Here, on 17 February 1600, the philosopherGiordano Bruno was burnt alive for heresy, and all of his works were placed on theIndex of Forbidden Books by theHoly Office. In 1889,Ettore Ferrari dedicated a monument to him on the exact spot of his death: He stands defiantly facing the Vatican and was regarded in the first days of areunited Italy as a martyr to freedom of thought. The inscription on the base reads:A BRUNO – IL SECOLO DA LUI DIVINATO – QUI DOVE IL ROGO ARSE ("To Bruno – the century predicted by him – here where the fire burned"). The body of theologian and scientistMarco Antonio de Dominis was also burned in this square in 1624. The condemned women poisoners of the infamousSpana Prosecution, including the central figureGironima Spana herself, were executed here in 1659–1660.[1]
In addition to people, the Holy Office burned theTalmud in Campo de' Fiori; thebook burning took place on September 9, 1553, the first day of the Jewish new year holiday,Rosh Hashanah.[2] A plaque commemorating this incident was affixed to the marketplace street in Campo de' Fiori in 2011 (the idea of memorializing this event was inspired by the monument to Giordano Bruno).[2] The plaque quotes a Talmudic description of the martyrdom ofRabbi Hananiah ben Teradion, who was burned alive wrapped in a Torah scroll; it also quotes "Sha'ali Serufah ba-Esh", alamentation poem byMeir of Rothenburg written after seeing wagon-loads ofTalmudic manuscripts burned in Paris in 1242.
The demolition of a block of housing in 1858 enlarged Campo de' Fiori, and since 1869, a daily vegetable and fish market that was previously held in Piazza Navona has been held there. The ancient cattle fountain known asla Terrina (the "soupbowl") was resited in 1889 and replaced with a copy that now is used to keep cut flowers fresh. Its inscription:FA DEL BENE E LASSA DIRE ("Do good and let them talk") suits the gossipy nature of the marketplace. In the afternoons, local games offootball give way to set-ups for outdoor cafés.
At night, Campo de' Fiori is a meeting place for tourists and young people coming from all parts of the city. After 2000, it became one of the most dangerous nighttime places of the city due to assaults and affrays by drunk tourists and soccer supporters.[3][4]
Campo de' Fiori travel guide from Wikivoyage
Media related toCampo de' Fiori at Wikimedia Commons
| Preceded by Appian Way | Landmarks of Rome Campo de' Fiori | Succeeded by Clivus Capitolinus |
