Piazza Colonna | |
|---|---|
| City square | |
.jpg) | |
| Location | Rome,Italy |
 Interactive map of Piazza Colonna | |
| Coordinates:41°54′03.8″N12°28′47.7″E / 41.901056°N 12.479917°E /41.901056; 12.479917 | |
Piazza Colonna is apiazza at the center of theRione of Colonna in the historic heart ofRome,Italy. It is named for the marbleColumn of Marcus Aurelius, which has stood there since AD 193. The bronze statue ofSaint Paul that crowns the column was placed in 1589, by order ofPope Sixtus V. The RomanVia Lata (now theVia del Corso) runs through the piazza's eastern end, from south to north.
The piazza is rectangular. Its north side is taken up byPalazzo Chigi, formerly theAustria-Hungary's embassy, but is now a seat of theItalian government. The east side is taken up by the 19th century public shopping arcadeGalleria Colonna (since 2003 GalleriaAlberto Sordi), the south side is taken up by the flank ofPalazzo Ferrajoli [it], formerly the Papal post office, and the little Church ofSanti Bartolomeo ed Alessandro dei Bergamaschi (1731-35). The west side is taken up byPalazzo Wedekind (1838) with a colonnade of Roman columns taken fromVeii.
The piazza has been a monumental open space since Antiquity; the temple of Marcus Aurelius stood on the site ofPalazzo Wedekind (TCI).
Thefountain in the piazza (1577) was commissioned byPope Gregory XIII fromGiacomo Della Porta who was assisted by Rocco De Rossi. In 1830, it was restored and had two sets ofdolphins side by side, with tails entwined, sculpted byAchille Stocchi, set at either end of the long basin. The central sculpture was then substituted with a smaller sculpture and spray.[1]
Piazza Colonna travel guide from Wikivoyage
Media related toPiazza Colonna (Rome) at Wikimedia Commons| Preceded by Clivus Capitolinus | Landmarks of Rome Piazza Colonna | Succeeded by Piazza d'Aracoeli |
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