Piazza Navona

Piazza Navona é una delle più belle e rappresentative piazza del periodo barocco in Roma. Essa sorse in un’area dove al tempo di Cesare si svolgevano ludi ginnici, ed infatti Nerone vi fece costruire un anfiteatro che l’imperatore Domiziano trasformò nel Circus Agonis, costruito in travertino e laterizi. Di tutte le piazze barocche di Roma, Piazza Navona occupa un ruolo particolare perché la sua forma principale fu stabilita in anticipo: infatti fu determinate dallo stadio dell’imperatore Domiziano, che poteva contenere circa 30.000 spettatori, e venne usato per la prima volta nell’ 86 d.C.. Essa fu nominata ”Circus Agonalis” e fu usata come arena per giochi e combattimenti (agones in latino), e per competizioni di vario genere, inclusa la corsa di velocità oltre che per gare ginniche (certamen gynnicum) e “Naumachias” o battaglie navali. Questo stadio fu usato per diversi secoli, anche dopo che Roma, da Impero Pagano divenne Impero Cristiano. Da “agones” il nome divenne “n’agone”, poi” navone”, e infine fu corrotto in “Navona”. Questo circo venne edificato ai limiti Sud-Ovest del quartiere di Campo Marzio, accanto alle Terme Neroniane ed allo stadio di Agrippa. Il campo agonalis originariamente misurava 275 e 265 metri (da notare la differenza dei due lati longitudinali) e 106 metri in larghezza. Aveva due lunghi lati paralleli nella direzione Nord-Sud e i due lati corti erano uno un emiciclo, nel lato Nord e l’altro, leggermente obliquo, nel lato Sud. Come molti altri monumenti dell’antichità, le strutture architettoniche del circo subirono le ingiurie dei secoli e degli uomini che lo depredarono delle pietre e dei marmi per poter costruire i vari palazzi e le case circostanti. Nel secolo tredicesimo, lungo le gradinate del circo incominciarono a sorgere le prime residenze delle potenti famiglie baronali romane, che vennero a formare la “Platea Agona”. Il Circus Agonalis o Campus Agonis, chiamato anche stadio di Domiziano, fu fatto costruire da Domiziano nell’86 d.C., per permettere i giochi atletici greci da lui particolarmente apprezzati e goduti, ma che i romani non amavano, considerandoli immorali. Lo stadio consisteva di un edificio a forma di ”U”, con il quarto lato leggermante obliquo rispetto ai lati principali. Esso fu costruito con una facciata esterna di due piani, edificata con due ordini di arcate su pilastri: il piano inferiore di ordine ionico e quello superiore di ordine corinzio. Lo stadio, inoltre, conteneva un piano sotterraneo. L’ingresso dentro lo stadio avveniva da due ingressi sui lati longitudinali ed uno sul lato curvo dello stadio. Le gradinate in pietra per gli spettatori erano su due piani, interrotti all’origine del semi-cerchio dello stadio per provvedere dei palchi per gli imperatori e per le autorità religiose e civiche. La facciata principale con i portici esterni e gli atrii degli ingressi principali erano costruiti in blocchi di travertino, materiale molto comune nelle cave del Lazio, e tutte le altre strutture erano costruite di laterizi. Infine, le pareti interne del circo erano rivestite di stucco e propriamente decorate. Dopo che il Colosseo fu devastato da un grande incendio nel 217 d.C., il Circo fu usato per moltissimi anni per i combattimenti dei gladiatori. Le camere sotterranee, chiamate “Lupanari”, furono usate come prostriboli, così come lo furono quelle del Circus Maximus. Lo stadio fu restaurato da Alessandro Severo, e questo fu il motivo per cui nel Medioevo fu chiamato Circus Alessandri. La chiesa di Santa Agnese in Agone fu fondata, secondo la leggenda, sul luogo in cui, nell’ anno 304 d.C., fu martirizzata la tredicenne Agnese, figlia di una famiglia dell’aristocrazia romana, convertita al Cristianesimo, colpevole di aver rifiutato il figlio del prefetto di Roma, Sinfronio, e quindi denunciata come cristiana. Essa venne denudata per i clienti del postribolo e i suoi capelli, in quel momento si sciolsero miracolosamente e scesero fino a coprirle il corpo quasi interamente. Nessuno dei presenti osò violentare la sua verginità, dopo che l’unica persona che ci provò cadde fulminata ai suoi piedi. Poichè andarono a vuoto tutti i tentativi di farla morire bruciata, alla fine fu pugnalata a morte ed infine sgozzata. Da quel momento la Chiesa la riconobbe tra i suoi martiri. Per conservare la memoria del suddetto miracolo e della martirizzazione di quella giovane cristiana, nel medesimo luogo fu ricostruita una nuova chiesa, sopra le fondazioni di una basilica paleocristiana sorta prima nel VIII secolo e poi ricostruita nel XII secolo per volere di Callisto II.

Piazza Navona is one of the most beautiful and representative squares of the Baroque period in Rome. It was built in an area where gymnastic games were held at the time of Caesar, and in fact Nerone had an amphitheater built there which the emperor Domitian transformed into the Circus Agonis, built in travertine and bricks. Of all the Baroque squares in Rome, Piazza Navona occupies a particular role because its main shape was established in advance: in fact it was determined by the stadium of the emperor Domitian, which could hold about 30,000 spectators, and was used for the first time in the 86 AD. It was named “Circus Agonalis” and was used as an arena for games and fights (agones in Latin), and for competitions of various kinds, including speed racing as well as for gymnastic competitions (certamen gynnicum) and “Naumachias” or naval battles. This stadium was used for several centuries, even after Rome changed from a Pagan Empire to a Christian Empire. From “agones” the name became “n’agone”, then “navone”, and finally it was corrupted into “Navona”. This circus was built on the southwestern edge of the Campo Marzio district, next to the Terme Neroniane and the Agrippa stadium. The campo agonalis originally measured 275 and 265 meters (note the difference between the two longitudinal sides) and 106 meters in width. It had two long sides parallel in the North-South direction and the two short sides were one a hemicycle, on the North side and the other, slightly oblique, on the South side. Like many other monuments of antiquity, the architectural structures of the circus suffered the ravages of the centuries and of the men who plundered it of the stones and marbles in order to build the various palaces and surrounding houses. In the thirteenth century, the first residences of the powerful Roman baronial families began to rise along the steps of the circus, forming the “Platea Agona”. The Circus Agonalis or Campus Agonis, also called the stadium of Domitian, was built by Domitian in 86 AD, to allow the Greek athletic games which he particularly appreciated and enjoyed, but which the Romans did not love, considering them immoral. The stadium consisted of a U-shaped building, with the fourth side slightly oblique to the main sides. It was built with an external facade of two floors, built with two orders of arches on pillars: the lower floor of the Ionic order and the upper one of the Corinthian order. The stadium also contained an underground floor. Entry into the stadium was via two entrances on the longitudinal sides and one on the curved side of the stadium. The stone steps for spectators were on two floors, interrupted at the origin of the semi-circle of the stadium to provide boxes for the emperors and for religious and civic authorities. The main facade with the external porticoes and the atriums of the main entrances were built in blocks of travertine, a very common material in the quarries of Lazio, and all the other structures were built in bricks. Finally, the inner walls of the circus were covered with stucco and properly decorated. After the Colosseum was devastated by a great fire in 217 AD, Like many other monuments of antiquity, the architectural structures of the circus suffered the ravages of the centuries and of the men who plundered it of the stones and marbles in order to build the various palaces and surrounding houses. In the thirteenth century, the first residences of the powerful Roman baronial families began to rise along the steps of the circus, forming the “Platea Agona”. The Circus Agonalis or Campus Agonis, also called the stadium of Domitian, was built by Domitian in 86 AD, to allow the Greek athletic games which he particularly appreciated and enjoyed, but which the Romans did not love, considering them immoral. The stadium consisted of a U-shaped building, with the fourth side slightly oblique to the main sides. It was built with an external facade of two floors, built with two orders of arches on pillars: the lower floor of the Ionic order and the upper one of the Corinthian order. The stadium also contained an underground floor. Entry into the stadium was via two entrances on the longitudinal sides and one on the curved side of the stadium. The stone steps for spectators were on two floors, interrupted at the origin of the semi-circle of the stadium to provide boxes for the emperors and for religious and civic authorities. The main facade with the external porticoes and the atriums of the main entrances were built in blocks of travertine, a very common material in the quarries of Lazio, and all the other structures were built in bricks. Finally, the inner walls of the circus were covered with stucco and properly decorated. After the Colosseum was devastated by a great fire in AD 217, the Circus was used for many years for gladiator fights. The underground chambers, called “Lupanari”, were used as prostribules, as were those of the Circus Maximus. The stadium was restored by Alessandro Severo, and this was the reason why it was called Circus Alessandri in the Middle Ages. The church of Santa Agnese in Agone was founded, according to legend, on the site where, in the year 304 AD, the thirteen-year-old Agnese, daughter of a Roman aristocracy family, was martyred, converted to Christianity, guilty of having rejected her son of the prefect of Rome, Sinfronio, and therefore denounced as a Christian. She was stripped naked for the brothel’s customers and her hair, at that moment miraculously melted and went down to cover her body almost entirely. None of those present dared to rape her virginity, after the only person who tried fell electrocuted at her feet. As all attempts to burn her to death failed, she was eventually stabbed to death and finally had her throat cut. From that moment the Church recognized her among its martyrs. To preserve the memory of the aforementioned miracle and the martyrdom of that young Christian, a new church was rebuilt in the same place, on top of the foundations of an early Christian basilica built first in the eighth century and then rebuilt in the twelfth century at the behest of Callistus II.