People's Piazza

(Local Name: Rome - Piazza del Popolo) Before the demolition of the city walls visitors arriving in Rome from the north on the Via Cassia or Via Flaminia, two of the old Roman consular highways, received their first impression of the magnificence of the city when they passed through the Porta del Popolo into the Piazza del Popolo. On the east under the Pincio hill, and on the west above the Tiber, the square is enclosed by semicircular walls built by Giuseppe Valadier in 1809-20. The square was enlarged in the 16th century during the reign of Pope Sixtus V, and the Via di Ripetta and Via del Babuino were laid out, radiating on either side of the Via del Corso. Some decades later the twin churches of Santa Maria dei Miracolo and Santa Maria in Monte Santo were built flanking the end of the Corso. In the center of the square is the Obelisk Flaminio, an Egyptian obelisk from the Circus Maximus, originally brought to Rome by Augustus. Beside the Porta del Popolo is the church of Santa Maria del Popolo. On the east side of the square the Cafe Rosati, traditionally the meeting place of artists, and the Canova opposite offer many of the famous Italian sweet delicacies.