Historic palace · 17th–18th century · Rome

Navona Palace Luxury Inn

Navona Palace Luxury Inn occupies a historic Roman palazzo immediately adjacent to Piazza Navona, one of the most celebrated public spaces in Rome and in Europe, built on the site of the first-century AD Stadium of Domitian whose elongated oval plan the piazza still follows. The building stands at the heart of the historic rione of Parione, within the dense medieval and baroque fabric of the city centre on the left bank of the Tiber, surrounded by some of the most important monuments of Roman baroque architecture — including Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers and Francesco Borromini’s church of Sant’Agnese in Agone, both facing onto the piazza itself.

At a glance

Type: Historic Roman palazzo, now luxury inn
Period: 17th–18th century (palazzo structure); Roman antiquity (site)
Style: Roman baroque
Location: Piazza Navona area, Rione Parione, Rome, Italy
Coordinates: 41.8993° N, 12.4686° E

Overview

Piazza Navona was developed as Rome’s principal public market and festival space from the late fifteenth century onward, when Pope Sixtus IV cleared the ruins of Domitian’s stadium and established regular markets there. The piazza was given its definitive baroque character in the mid-seventeenth century under Pope Innocent X Pamphilj, whose family palace — Palazzo Pamphilj, today the Brazilian Embassy — closes the western side of the square, and who commissioned both Borromini’s Sant’Agnese and Bernini’s central fountain. The streets surrounding the piazza preserve an exceptionally dense concentration of baroque and Renaissance palaces, many of which have been converted to hotels and cultural uses while retaining their historic fabric.

History

The block immediately east of Piazza Navona, where the Navona Palace stands, was part of the medieval urban fabric that grew over the ruins of Domitian’s stadium — some of the stadium’s substructure remains visible in cellars and ground floors of buildings in the area. The palazzo itself would have been built or substantially renovated during the seventeenth or eighteenth century, when the area around the piazza was a centre of aristocratic and professional life in Rome, with law courts, notarial offices, and wealthy households clustered near the city’s commercial heart. The conversion of Roman palazzi to quality hospitality has been a feature of the neighbourhood since the twentieth century, as the historic centre became one of Europe’s primary heritage tourism destinations.

What you see

The building presents the characteristic features of a Roman baroque palazzo: a stone or brick facade of several storeys, articulated by cornices, piano nobile windows with sculpted surrounds, and a carriage entrance portal leading to an internal courtyard. From upper-floor windows or terraces, guests may have direct views across Piazza Navona to Borromini’s distinctive concave facade of Sant’Agnese and the obelisk and sculptural groups of Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers. The surrounding streets — Via del Governo Vecchio, Via della Pace, Vicolo della Pace — retain much of their late-medieval and baroque character, lined with artisan workshops, wine bars, and antique dealers.

Cultural significance

Piazza Navona and its immediate surroundings constitute one of the most important ensembles of European baroque urbanism, a laboratory in which Bernini and Borromini — the defining rivals of seventeenth-century Roman architecture — produced their most celebrated works within metres of each other. The area is inscribed within the Historic Centre of Rome, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980. Properties that have managed to preserve their historic structure while adapting to contemporary hospitality contribute to the living heritage of this exceptional urban fabric.

Practical information

Address: Piazza Navona area, Rione Parione, Rome 00186, Italy
Opening hours: Hotel reception: check official website for availability and booking
Admission: Accommodation guests; check official website for rates

Getting there

The nearest metro station is Spagna (Line A) or Barberini (Line A), each approximately 20 minutes on foot across the historic centre. Bus lines 40, 46, 62, 64 stop at Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, a 5-minute walk from Piazza Navona. From Roma Termini, take the 40 Express or 64 bus. Roma Fiumicino Airport is 32 km west, accessible by Leonardo Express train to Termini (journey 32 minutes). The area is best explored on foot; car access in the ZTL (restricted traffic zone) requires a permit.

Sources & resources

Find it on the map

Google Maps See the location on a full map → Street View Walk around the place virtually → OpenStreetMap Free community cartography →

The Navona Palace Luxury Inn is located a few minutes walk from the most important attractions of Rome, in a suggestive location with typical bars and characteristic restaurants where you can make the most of your Roman holidays. If you are looking for a charming hotel in the heart of the historic center, Navona Palace is the right choice; you will have comfortable suites equipped with all comforts at your disposal. The ideal choice for those looking for a place of particular charm where they can spend an unforgettable stay in Rome.



The Palace is located in the Parione district, as the coat of arms on the facade testifies to this. Almost as large as the entire block, bordered by Via della Pace, Piazza del Fico and Vicolo della Fossa, the Palace is located close to Piazza Navona; from its windows it is possible to see the delightful church of Santa Maria della Pace and immerse yourself in Roman life with the chess players of the Fico bar, one of the most typical and popular places in Rome.



To date, the origins of the building are not known exactly, but it is shown in its entirety in the plans of the time.

In the plan you can see some numbers near the Palace, they were annotations intended for a descriptive volume of the plan which, however, was never drawn up.

Information on the consistency of the building dates back to 1800, when the owner Luigi Arati requested &quot;the raising of an existing terrace within his properties located in Vicolo della Fossa&quot; (01.25.1872).



The facades appear sober: on Via della Pace a triple order of string course frames divides it horizontally into four, giving it a compact image, with the exception of the two terminal bays where there is a slight staggering which disappears at roof level where the pitch is interrupted by the presence of a terrace placed in a symmetrical position. The building introduces the roof termination with a large crowning frame. On this facade there are two plaques, one of which is mentioned in the reason for the architectural restriction.



In the documents of the time the palace is represented both in plan and in elevation. Only a section of the elevation is depicted in the elevation, i.e. the one affected by the superelevation.

The property always belonged to the Arati family until it was donated to the Opera Pia Sussidio Arati, as evidenced by the ownership assessment dating back to 1940.

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The turns of the facades are highlighted by smooth travertine stones in the one between Via della Pace and Piazza del Fico in the basement part and by ashlar corners to highlight the main floor (in the turn with Vicolo della Fossa also on the ground floor there is a termination ashlars), and then return smoothly to the upper floors. The fa&ccedil;ade, with five bays, has windows (some trabeated) that open immediately above the string course frames; some of these have the original peperino bands.

https://culturalheritageonline.com/places/navona-palace-luxury-inn-l3454/

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