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Piazza di Spagna.
The plaza is most known for the Spanish Steps and they are the cultural meeting ground for modern day Rome. They acquired their name from the Spanish embassy that was located there at the time they were build (1722). It is a great place to relax and enjoy the sun.

Piazza di Spagna was at the centre of the Strangers' Quarter, the triangle made by Via del Corso, Via Frattina and Via del Babuino, where most of the foreigners lived, in particular painters and sculptors.

The design of the steps was finished by Francesco de Sanctis after generations of controversy. The church at the top of the Steps is the Trinita dei Monti, founded by the French in 1495.

The Spanish Stairs were built to unite Via del Babuino (the easternmost of the three main arteries radiating into the city from the Piazza del Popolo) with Via Felice, the first great street planned by Sixtus V (1585). Their junction is crossed at an approximately right angle by Via Condotti, which defines the direction toward St. Peter's and the Vatican.

The fountain was built by Pietro Bernini with the assistance of his son Gian Lorenzo at a very low level because of poor water pressure. It was decorated on the inside by two Barberini " sun mouths" sprouting water out in a fan. Bernini helped his father in building the fountain (La Barcaccia = the ugly boat). Stories tell that Bernini was inspired by an old boat beached during the overflowing of the river Tiber in 1598.