Rome 2018: Piazza del Popolo

On our way to Vatican City my parents and I passed by Piazza del Popolo. During my first time in Rome in 2012 I had stopped by Piazza del Popolo twice and was able to explore the square thoroughly but this time we only had a minute or two to snap some quick photos before continuing our trek towards the Vatican. If we had more time I would have taken my parents around Piazza del Popolo and checked out one or more of the churches and other buildings on the square.

Piazza del Popolo is located right next to what used to be the old northern gate of the city, which is called Porta del Popolo. If you arrived in Rome from the north in the old days this square would be the first thing you saw after entering the city walls. The obelisk in the center of the square was shipped from Egypt to Rome in 10 BC and originally was erected over at the Circus Maximus before it was moved to Piazza del Popolo in 1589. Today the square is a pedestrian zone and it’s a great place to start a walk down Via del Corso, one of Rome’s major shopping streets. Keep following the road in a straight line and it will take you all the way to Capitoline Hill.