Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti

Introduction

Welcome to the Spanish Steps, where centuries of art, history, and lively Roman life flow together! Rising gracefully between bustling Piazza di Spagna and the church of Trinità dei Monti, these curving travertine steps have hosted poets, painters, and everyday Romans alike. Discover how a bold architectural vision and rich cultural traditions made this staircase not just a passageway, but a beloved gathering place and symbol of the Eternal City’s spirit.

Historic Highlights

The Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti, or Spanish Steps, was born from a centuries-long dream to unite the French church above with the lively Piazza di Spagna below. While designs date back as early as 1559, it wasn’t until 1723—thanks to a French bequest and Roman compromise—that architect Francesco De Sanctis turned the vision into Rome’s most elegant staircase. His design flowed like water, splitting and rejoining over 135 creamy travertine steps, offering stunning views and inviting city dwellers to linger. As De Sanctis himself wished, the Steps are a “luogo dove sostare piacevolmente”—a place to pause pleasantly.

More than just stone, the Steps were always a vibrant stage. By the 18th and 19th centuries, artists’ models lounged in sunlight, hoping to catch the eye of painters like those described by sculptor William Wetmore Story: “All day long, these steps are flooded with sunshine in which, stretched at length or gathered in picturesque groups, models of every age and both sexes bask away the hours.” Flower sellers, local children, and travelers mingled on the terraces, while the neighborhood’s “English Quarter” echoed with foreign tongues and laughter.

Tradition blossoms here—literally. Each spring since 1951, Romans usher in the season with an explosion of pink and white azaleas along the Steps. In December, crowds gather for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, as the Pope pays tribute just beside the staircase. Beneath it all bubbles the Fontana della Barcaccia, a boat-shaped fountain by Pietro Bernini, inspired by a real skiff left stranded after the Tiber’s 1598 flood. Taste the fresh water here and—according to local lore—you’ll ensure your return to Rome!

The Steps have stories to spare, from English ladies founding Babington’s Tea Rooms in 1893, to John Keats looking out on Roman life from his window at their base. Fashion runways once graced these stones, and Hollywood immortalized them when Audrey Hepburn ate gelato here in Roman Holiday. Romans and visitors alike still feel pride—and responsibility—for these stones: “To us, the Steps are a part of who we are,” as one local put it.

Although lingering is part of the Steps’ soul, remember: sitting and eating here is now forbidden to preserve their beauty. Let’s honor nearly 300 years of history—pause, look, and become part of the living story.

"All day long, these steps are flooded with sunshine in which... models of every age and both sexes bask away the hours." – William Wetmore Story, Roba di Roma, 1863

"Luogo dove sostare piacevolmente." – Francesco De Sanctis on his design intent, 1725

Timeline & Context

Historical Timeline

• 1559: First written mention of a plan to link Piazza di Spagna and the Trinità dei Monti church via a monumental staircase; land is purchased by Pope Gregory XIII in the 1570s for this unrealized purpose.
• 1660: French diplomat Étienne Gueffier endows 20,000 scudi for the project, spurring new designs, notably a dynamic Baroque proposal from Gian Lorenzo Bernini's workshop. Political tensions between the Papacy and French monarchy stall progress for decades.
• 1717–1721: Pope Clement XI launches an international competition. Late Baroque architects Alessandro Specchi and Francesco De Sanctis submit designs; De Sanctis’ curvilinear vision drawing from Bernini’s forms is selected after Pope Innocent XIII’s accession and diplomatic negotiations.
• 1723–1726: Construction proceeds under De Sanctis, using travertine from Tivoli. The Steps are inaugurated in 1725 for Jubilee festivities and fully completed in 1726. A symbolic blend of French (fleurs-de-lis) and Papal (Conti eagle) emblems are incorporated. The planned statue of Louis XIV is omitted after Papal objection.
• 1728: Heavy rains cause the hillside retaining wall to collapse, damaging the young stairs. De Sanctis is held accountable and oversees urgent repairs out of pocket, an event which shadows his later career.
• 1789: The Sallustian Obelisk (Obelisco Sallustiano), an ancient Roman artifact, is installed at the summit, creating a compositional echo of other Roman squares (e.g., Piazza del Popolo).
• 19th century: Piazza di Spagna and the Steps become the heart of Rome’s cosmopolitan visitor quarter, earning the nickname “English Quarter.” Urban lighting is introduced; artists, writers, and models make the Steps a bohemian haunt.
• 1885: The iconic Hotel Hassler opens atop the Steps, joining Babington’s Tea Rooms (1893) as symbols of the area’s international hospitality.
• 1951–present: The azalea festival “Scalinata in Fiore” begins, establishing annual floral displays. The Steps appear as a centerpiece in global fashion events and in renowned films such as Roman Holiday.
• 1995: The first major modern restoration cleans, repairs, and structurally reinforces the Steps. Subsequent incidents—including cars driven onto the Steps—highlight preservation challenges.
• 2015–2016: Bulgari sponsors a comprehensive €1.5 million restoration, restoring travertine brilliance and repairing heavy wear from tourism.
• 2019: City ordinances prohibit sitting, eating, or drinking on the Steps to combat damage from visitors. Enforcement includes fines and regular oversight to maintain site integrity.

Architectural Context and Innovations
The Spanish Steps marked a significant evolution in monumental stairway design, departing from the severity of the medieval Aracoeli staircase’s straight, penitential ascent (1348) and from the broad but processional Renaissance Cordonata of Michelangelo (1540s). De Sanctis introduced an undulating Rococo scheme—split, curved, and terraced—resulting in a multi-faceted public space. Its parapet-benches and wide landings fostered informal gathering, a deliberate contrast to the rigid, hierarchical site links of earlier eras. This approach anticipated urban scenography seen later at the Trevi Fountain and inspired both local and international stair-art traditions.

Preservation & Management
Now under the care of the Sovrintendenza Capitolina ai Beni Culturali and protected as part of Rome’s UNESCO World Heritage site, the staircase faces ongoing threats from pollution, heavy foot traffic, environmental shifts, and overtourism. Conservation strategies, increasingly in partnership with private sponsors (notably Bulgari), blend traditional stone repair with modern visitor regulations. Recent bans on sitting and eating represent an evolving philosophy: balancing Rome’s tradition of vibrant street life with the imperative of safeguarding its Baroque jewels for future generations.

Socio-Cultural Influence
Socially, the Steps fostered a unique “urban theatre.” In the 19th century, artists’ models treated the stairs as their informal market; later, literary legends like John Keats and Henry James drew inspiration here. The azalea festival and Immaculate Conception ceremony tie the site to Rome’s civic and religious rhythms, reinforcing its status as a living monument. Its image persists in literature, art, cinema, and local memory—testament to the staircase’s enduring vitality across three centuries of use and reinvention.