Spanish Steps

We were running late for getting to our scheduled ticket time at the Borghese Gallergy due to an unexpected closure on the Metro to get to the People's Plaza and then a later opening at the Ara Pacis than expected. So we didn't get a chance to sit on the steps but rather got a good idea of how much of a jog it is to get from the bottom to the top. Thanks again for the shallow stairs but we were still puffed out by the time we reached the top!

In the 17th century the French had initially proposed a plan to build the Spanish Steps and top it off with a statue of King Louis XIV. However there was opposition from the pope and the plan was only carried out in 1723-1726, but without the addition of the statue. The designer Francisco de Sanctis was chosen for the job and the 137 step flight of stairs was built drawing on the technique of terraced garden stairs. The stairs signified the peace between the Spanish (below) and the French in the square above. The steps are one of the most romantic places in Rome (and the widest staircase in Europe) and attract a lot of attention from tourists. In May the steps are decorated with azaleas and once a year there is a fashion show here when the steps become the catwalk.
At the bottom of the steps is Piazza di Spagna, the Spanish Square got its name from the Spanish Embassy which stood close by in the 17th century.

Article:
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