Spanish Steps, Monumental staircase in Piazza di Spagna, Italy.
The Spanish Steps (Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti) rise 135 steps from Piazza di Spagna to the Trinità dei Monti church, covering a 23-metre height difference over a 68-metre length. Designed by Francesco de Sanctis, the travertine stairway splits into three flights around terraces, with curved and angled steps, balustrades and stone piers. An Egyptian obelisk with a plain cross stands before the church's twin bell towers.
French diplomat Étienne Gueffier initiated the staircase project in 1660, but construction began in 1723 under architect Francesco de Sanctis. The completion came in 1725, marking the end of decades of negotiations between French and papal interests over the design and funding.
The name comes from the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See at the foot of the stairs. At Christmas a 19th-century crib is set on the first landing, and before Rome's 21 April foundation anniversary pots of azaleas cover part of the steps until early May. Since 2019 sitting on the steps is banned, with a €250 fine.
Visitors can reach the staircase through Spagna metro station on Line A, with restaurants and shops along nearby Via Condotti. The steps remain accessible from early morning until late evening, with early morning offering quieter viewing conditions before the crowds arrive.
The Fontana della Barcaccia at the base commemorates a 1598 Christmas flood when a boat washed into Piazza di Spagna. The fountain sits below street level because water pressure in this part of Rome was too low to lift water higher.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,099 contributors worldwide.
