Piazza Farnese

The piazza is a beautiful, typical Roman square. It is located in the historic heart of Rome, just an alley away from the more hectic Campo de' Fiori. The two granite fountains at the center of the square were created from bathtubs taken from the ancient Baths of Caracalla. They are decorated with a stone sculpted iris, the symbol of the Farnese family who were responsible for the Farnese Palace that borders the piazza to the south.

The piazza is dominated by the Palazzo Farnese, a renaissance palace commissioned by cardinal Allessandro Farnese, who would later become pope Paul III.
Construction started in 1517 after a design by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger. When he died in 1546 Michelangelo took over the project and added several new elements to the design. Michelangelo also started implementing a plan to connect the palace with the Villa Farnesina across the river, also owned by the Farnese family. It was never completed and the only section that was built is the elegant bridge across the Giulia street. After Michelangelo died in 1564 the Farnese Palace was finished by Giacomo della Porta who worked on the building until 1589.
Much of the structure was built with materials taken from the Baths of Caracalla and the Colosseum. Many of the Colosseum's arches were destroyed in the process.

After the Farnese line died out in the 18th century, the palace was owned by the Bourbons. In 1874 the French Embassy moved into the palace. Today the embassy still occupies the building, which means that it is unfortunately not open to the public.

To the right of the Farnese Palace is a small Swedish church dedicated to Saint Bridget of Sweden, who travelled to Rome in 1350 where she started a new order. In 1354 Bridget moved to a house at the Farnese square where she lived until her death in 1373. The house was later converted into a church dedicated to the Saint.