View source for Piazza Colonna

{{Short description|Square in Rome, Italy}}
{{Infobox urban feature
|name=Piazza Colonna
|location=[[Rome]], [[Italy]]
|place_type=City square
|image_place=Piazza Colonna Roma (5251330336).jpg
|image_caption=
|imagesize=270
|coordinates={{coord|41|54|03.8|N|12|28|47.7|E|region:IT_type:landmark|display=it}}
|image_map=
 {{Infobox mapframe
  |frame-width=270
  |wikidata=yes
  |zoom=13
  |marker=square
 }}
|map_caption=Click on the map for a fullscreen view
}}
'''Piazza Colonna''' is a [[piazza]] at the center of the [[Colonna (rione of Rome)|Rione of Colonna]] in the historic heart of [[Rome]], [[Italy]]. It is named for the marble [[Column of Marcus Aurelius]], which has stood there since AD 193. The bronze statue of [[Paul the Apostle|Saint Paul]] that crowns the column was placed in 1589, by order of [[Pope Sixtus V]]. The Roman [[Via Lata (Rome)|Via Lata]] (now the [[Via del Corso]]) runs through the piazza's eastern end, from south to north.

==Overview==
The piazza is rectangular. Its north side is taken up by [[Palazzo Chigi]], formerly the [[Austria-Hungary]]'s embassy, but is now a seat of the [[Italian government]]. The east side is taken up by the 19th century public shopping arcade [[Galleria Colonna]] (since 2003 Galleria [[Alberto Sordi]]), the south side is taken up by the flank of {{ill|Palazzo Ferrajoli|it}}, formerly the Papal post office, and the little Church of [[Santi Bartolomeo ed Alessandro dei Bergamaschi]] (1731-35). The west side is taken up by [[Palazzo Wedekind]] (1838) with a colonnade of Roman columns taken from [[Veii]].

The piazza has been a monumental open space since Antiquity; the temple of Marcus Aurelius stood on the site of [[Palazzo Wedekind]] (TCI).

==Fountain==
The [[Fontana di Piazza Colonna|fountain in the piazza]] (1577) was commissioned by [[Pope Gregory XIII]] from [[Giacomo Della Porta]] who was assisted by Rocco De Rossi. In 1830, it was restored and had two sets of [[dolphin]]s side by side, with tails entwined, sculpted by [[Achille Stocchi]], set at either end of the long basin. The central sculpture was then substituted with a smaller sculpture and spray.<ref>[http://www.thais.it/citta_italiane/roma/fontane/piazze/piazza_colonna/pag_01.htm Fontana della Piazza Colonna]</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{cite book |first=M. |last=Lucentini |title=The Rome Guide: Step by Step through History's Greatest City|date=31 December 2012 |publisher=Interlink |isbn=9781623710088 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=laMDAQAAQBAJ}}
* {{Wikivoyage-inline|Rome/Old Rome|{{PAGENAME}}}}
* {{commons-inline}}

{{Sequence
| prev = [[Clivus Capitolinus]]
| list = Landmarks of Rome
| curr = Piazza Colonna
| next = [[Piazza d'Aracoeli]]
}}
<!-- "Piazza d'Aracoeli" as the next landmark and "Clivus Capitolinus" as the previous one are taken from the navbox "Landmarks of Rome" that is placed below. A navbox is invisible in mobile view. The addition enables mobile users to click at least the next landmark or the previous one. -->
{{Monuments of Rome}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Piazzas in Rome|Colonna]]
[[Category:Rome R. III Colonna]]
[[Category:Via del Corso]]
{{Italy-hist-stub}}
{{Rome-stub}}