The Spanish Steps that in Italian is termed as Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti are a set of steps in Rome, Italy, that ascend on a steep slope between the Piazza di Spagna at the base and Piazza Trinità dei Monti, with prominence of the church of Trinità dei Monti. The Scalinata is considered as the widest staircase in Europe.
The monumental stairway of 138 steps was constructed with French diplomat Étienne Gueffier’s with about funds of 20,000 scudi, in 1723–1725, connecting it with the Bourbon Spanish Embassy to the Holy See. At present, during Christmas festivities a 19th century crib is shown on the first steps of the staircase. In around May, some sections of the steps are being covered with pots of azaleas. Around in contemporary times Spanish steps even include a small cut flower market. Under the Roman urban regulations the steps are barred from any eating activities, however, they remain thronged with people.
At the Piazza di Spagna, that is located at the base of steps, there is situated an Early Baroque fountains named as Fontana della Barcaccia (“Fountain of the Old Boat”). Fountain was constructed in 1627-29 and is refereed as to be Pietro Bernini, the son of Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The senior Bernini was the pope’s architect for the Acqua Vergine, since 1623. According to folklore Pope Urban VIII led the construction of the fountain after when he was impressed by a boat carried to him by a flood of the Tiber River. Fontana della Barcaccia can be visualized as from the top of the Spanish Steps. On the corner of the piazza, at the right side where the stairs starts climbing, is situated the house of the English poet John Keats who lived and died there in 1821.Now his houses is converted into a museum filled with examples and memorabilia of the English Romantic generation. There again at the right side is located the 15th century former cardinal Lorenzo Cybo de Mari’s palace, now Ferrari di Valbona, a building that converted in 1936 to designs by Marcello Piacentini, the main city planner as occurred during Fascism. There modern terraces remained ideally there in context with the surrounding baroque context.
Spanish Steps are also known for many best activities that occurred at its footsteps. In 1986 the first McDonalds restaurant in Italy was inaugurated close to the Spanish Steps. Om June 13, 2007 a 24 year old Colombian man tried to drive a Toyota Celica down the Spanish Steps. No one was injured in the incident however the 200 years old steps were damaged. And the list is endless of trivia occurred at the Spanish Steps.