It represents verso Moor, or African (perhaps originally meant sicuro be Neptune), standing in per conch shell, wrestling with verso dolphin, surrounded by four Tritons
I would recommend going con the mornings, as it is much quieter, and the sellers are not about con the mornings! Don’t miss an Italian ice cream sitting at the posh “3 Scalini” (3 steps) restaurant or, better, buy Trifola sopra 9.5 euros (see Tip below). We shall pass through Piazza Navona con many of our trips in Rome .
It is built on the site of the Stadium of Domitian, built mediante 1st century AD, and follows the form of the open space of the stadium. The ancient Romans came there sicuro watch the agones (“games”), and hence it was known as “Circus Agonalis” (“competition arena”). It is believed that over time the name changed sicuro per avone onesto navone and eventually esatto Navona.
Polla dei quattro fiumi (four rivers) or Fountain of the Four Rivers (1651) by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, topped by the Obelisk of Domitian, brought here in pieces from the Circus of Maxentius. The punto of the fountain is verso basin from the centre of which rocks rise preciso support four river gods and above them, an ancient Egyptian obelisk surmounted with the Pamphili family emblem of per in cui with an olive twig. Collectively, they represent four major rivers of the four continents through which papal authority had spread: the log in match Nile representing Africa, the Danube representing Europe, the Ganges representing Oriente, and the Rio de la Plata representing the Americas.
Polla del Moro (Moor Fountain): The Southern most fountain. The fountain was originally designed by Giacomo della Porta sopra 1575 with the dolphin and four Tritons. Per 1653, the statue of the Moor, by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, was added. Per 1874, during per restoration of the fountain, the original statues were moved preciso the Traforo Borghese and replaced with copies. Con aged after verso vandal attacked it with verso hammer. The vandal also damaged the Trevi Fountain that night:
The middle fountain and the biggest durante the square
Fonte del Nettuno (Fountain of Neptune): The Northern most fountain. The basin part of the Sorgente del Nettuno, (without the sculptures) was designed in 1574 by Giacomo Della Porta, who also designed the Moor Fountain at the opposite side of the square. For the next 300 years, the fountain survived without statues. The fountain as it exists today was finally completed in 1878 by Antonio della Bitta, who added the imposing sculpture of “Neptune fighting with an octopus” and Gregorio Zappala, who created the other sculptures, based on the mythological theme of the “Nereids with cupids and walruses”. Statuary was added following verso competition in 1873, per order esatto balance the statuary of the Moor Fountain on the south side of the centro and of the Fonte dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers) at its centre.
Sant Agnese con Arena Church (also called Sant’Agnese) is opposite the Vena dei quattro fiumi (four rivers) mediante Piazza Navona. it is dedicated onesto St. Agnes born around 290. The young girl who according to tradition suffered as a martyr, was beheaded at age 12 by order of Emperor Diocletian. It is per 17th-century Baroque church. It stands on the site where the early Christian Saint Agnes was martyred sopra the ancient Stadium of Domitian. Construction began mediante 1652 under the architects Girolamo Rainaldi and his affranchit Carlo Rainaldi. After numerous quarrels, the other main architect involved was Francesco Borromini who was verso former student of Bernini and, later, a rival. The interior is breath taking and really worth seeing. Inside, there is verso shrine with Saint Agnes’ skull. Sorcio the side altars which are dedicated puro martyrs and spettacolo how each one died.