Piazza Navona is traced on the shape of the antique Stadium of
Domiziano dated from the Roman times. This arena of 270 metres of
length and 55 meters of width, was built in 86 a.C. with the
capacity of 30000 persons. After been restored by Alessandro
Severo, until the 19th century in this square were organized
various kinds of shows and celebrations. During the month of
August, the square was inundated by closing the fountain's
drainages, putting up the "naumachie" (naval fights inside an
arena). Piazza Navona is longitudinally marked with three
fountains: the lateral "Fountain of Neptune or of the Calderoni"
and "Fountain of the Moro" and the central "Fountain of the
Rivers". In front of this last fountain, on the ruins of the
stadium of Domiziano, there is an antique Basilica achieved in 1652
by Borromini a concave facade, twin belfries and the cupola.
Starting from 400 the surronding area started to change: the
medieval houses and towers, built on stadium stairs in the 18th
century, were replaced and transformed in with the Renassaince
style and then in baroque. This continuous and fascinating process
has given to Piazza Navona the unmistakable aspect that it has
now.
The Pantheon is a temple in Rome built on the 27th year b.C. by
the Consul Marco Agrippa, in the area of the so called "Campo
Marzio", the same place in which, according to the legend, he
ascended to the sky.The first version of the temple had a square
Greek-style structure and was dedicated to all the gods who were
venerate into the limits of the ancient Roman Empire.
The Pantheon has a round basis and a big dome, which radius has the
same lenght as the building height. At the top of the dome there is
a 9 meters wide "oculus" (a hole) from which gets into the sun
light.When the Romans finished to build the Pantheon, inside there
was a Holy Ceasar's statue, while outside there were two depictions
of Ottaviano and Marco Agrippa himself, in order to celebrate their
friendship and their activity for the "res publica" wellbeing.
Under Adriano authority, the building was completely renovate, the
orientation was changed (now it is oriented to the north) and also
some facade details, moreover the square opposite to the temple was
covered with arcades on three sides and had a travertine
pavement