The most famous square in Baroque Rome is located on the site of the former Domitian Stadium. From the time of Domitian's reign, this place was used exclusively for sporting events. The remains of the stadium can still be seen beneath the church of Sant'Agnese in Agone, dedicated to the martyr maiden, who had a miracle happen on this site: her thick hair instantly grew back and hid the nakedness of a 13-year-old Christian girl who had been exposed to the pagans. The facade of the church was designed in the 1650s by the architect Borromini.
The main attraction of the square is the Fountain of the Four Rivers by Lorenzo Bernini, executed in 1651 and greatly admired by Pope Innocent X, who has since patronised the artist. The figures of the Fontana are personifications of the rivers - the Danube, the Ganges, the Nile and the Rio de la Plata. The figures of the rivers are arranged around a rocky reef on which stands an ancient obelisk.
The corner of the square faces Palazzo Braschi, which houses the Museum of Urban History. On the corner of the building near the plinth is an antique statue with an ugly face, Pasquino. The statue was found when the foundation of the building was laid. Since some time, leaflets with ironic comments on various current events began to appear on the statue's neck.
