Attraction · Rome · Updated on 1 November 2026.

Piazza Navona in Rome

Piazza Navona is an attraction in Rome, Lazio, Italy. This place has an audio tour of about 2 minutes, in English or Dutch. 15 of the 50 well-known points of interest nearby are within 1 km. Within 780 m you'll find a bench, a public toilet, a water point and a bike pump.

Directions in Google Maps

The story

Wikipedia ↗

Audio tour · Piazza Navona

2:11

You're standing in Piazza Navona. First, look at the shape of the square: long and narrow, with a rounded end to the north. That's no accident. In the first century, this was the stadium of Emperor Domitian. Where you're walking now, athletes ran, wrestled and threw the javelin, just like at the Greek Games. The stands held an estimated thirty thousand spectators.

Read and hear the whole story in the Outdoor Pitstop app: check in at this place and it is yours (with Pro; new users are Pro for the first 4 weeks).

Opening hours and admission

Wheelchair: Accessible

Source: OpenStreetMap and Wikidata.

Photos

10 photos from Wikimedia Commons. In the app you add your own photo when you are there.

1 / 10

Photo: Paolo Monti · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons

What you can see at Piazza Navona

Piazza Navona is long and narrow, with a rounded end at the northern side. In the middle stands the Vierstromenfontein by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, topped with an obelisk. Behind it you will find the church of Sant'Agnese in Agone. The Palazzo Pamphilj, now an embassy, also overlooks the square. Other fountains also stand beside this one. On the southern side is the Moorfontein, and on the northern side you will find the Neptunusfontein. Behind the square, you can visit arches and a staircase from the old stands via Piazza di Tor Sanguigna.

The history of Piazza Navona

In the first century, the emperor Domitianus built a stadium here. Athletes competed in wrestling, javelin throwing and running, and there was room for around 30,000 spectators on the stands. After the fall of the Romeinse Rijk, the stadium was demolished for building materials. Houses, towers and churches were built on the site of the stands, but the track itself remained empty, which is why the square kept its shape. The name Navona comes from the old word for these contests. Pope Innocentius X turned the square into a showpiece. From 1652 to 1866, the square was flooded every weekend in August. The drains were closed and the fountains kept spraying, while nobles drove their carriages through the water as ordinary people looked on.

Benches, drinking water and toilets at Piazza Navona in Rome

There is a bench 11 metres from Piazza Navona in Rome. Within 500 metres, you will find 41 benches in total. A toilet is 39 metres from Piazza Navona, and there are 3 public toilets within 500 metres. For drinking water near Piazza Navona, the nearest tap is a 120-metre walk away, and it is accessible for wheelchair users. Within 500 metres, there are 38 places to get drinking water. The closest bike pump is 777 metres away, at Kit Soccorso Bici. There are no bike pumps within 500 metres.

Walking and other sights around Piazza Navona in Rome

The Outdoor Pitstop app lets you listen to a 2-minute audio story about Piazza Navona in Rome while you are on the square. From there, you can walk on to other attractions nearby. The Trevi Fountain in Rome is 878 metres away. From there, it is 1,078 metres to the Piazza di Spagna and 1,125 metres to the Spanish Steps. Saint Peter's Square is 1,359 metres away, and the Forum Romanum is 1,399 metres away. An audio story is available in the app for each of these places.

Facilities near Piazza Navona

The nearest pitstop of each kind within 1 km, as the crow flies. No honesty box within 1 km.

Well-known points of interest nearby

50 well-known points of interest nearby, those with an audio tour first. 15 of the 50 well-known points of interest nearby are within 1 km.

AttractionAudio story · 2 min

Castle of the Holy Angel · 730 m

Photo: Livioandronico2013 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons

AttractionAudio story · 2 min

Trevi Fountain · 880 m

Photo: NikonZ7II · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons

AttractionAudio story · 2 min

Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II · 950 m

Photo: Alvesgaspar · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons

AttractionAudio story · 2 min

Spanish Square · 1.1 km

Photo: Hugo DK · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons

AttractionAudio story · 2 min

Spanish Steps · 1.1 km

Photo: Hugo DK · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons

Hear the story of Castle of the Holy Angel on the spot with the app

All 566 points of interest in Rome →

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The 10 nearest points of interest with a story, within 2 km.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the history of Piazza Navona?

The square follows the shape of the stadium from the first century, where athletes took part in competitions. In the seventeenth century, it was turned into an ornate showpiece.

What is the name of the fountain in Piazza Navona?

In the middle of the square stands the Vierstromenfontein by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. There is also a Fountain of the Moor on the south side and a Neptunusfontein on the north side.

What can I do when I visit Piazza Navona?

You can admire the ornate architecture, see the 3 fountains or visit the kerstmarkt in December. Arches and a staircase from the old stadium have also been uncovered under the houses on the north side.

Where can I find a toilet near Piazza Navona?

The nearest public toilet is 39 metres away from Piazza Navona.

Is there drinking water near Piazza Navona?

Yes, there is a wheelchair-accessible drinking water point 120 metres from Piazza Navona.

Are there any benches near Piazza Navona?

The nearest bench is 11 metres away from Piazza Navona.

Nearby

More well-known points of interest nearby

Piazza Navona in Rome

The story

Opening hours and admission

Photos

What you can see at Piazza Navona

The history of Piazza Navona

Benches, drinking water and toilets at Piazza Navona in Rome

Walking and other sights around Piazza Navona in Rome

Facilities near Piazza Navona

Well-known points of interest nearby

Castle of the Holy Angel · 730 m

Trevi Fountain · 880 m

Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II · 950 m

Spanish Square · 1.1 km

Spanish Steps · 1.1 km

Also within walking distance

Explore further

More in Rome

More points of interest

Frequently asked questions

Nearby

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