Though Piazza Mignanelli in Rome is not amongst the city’s most famous squares, there will be few tourists in the Eternal City who will not have unwittingly set foot on this beautiful little piazza. Piazza Mignanelli lies at the foot of the Pincio hill, to the right of the Spanish Steps and the narrow stairways leading up to the Trinità dei Monti church.
Piazza Mignanelli Rome
Special Events
Every year on the 8th of December the Pope (and thousands of Catholics with him) visits Piazza Mignanelli, in order to celebrate the Immaculate Conception, symbolized by the statue of the Madonna on the pillar in the middle of the piazza. The pillar is called the Colonna dell’Immacolata.
History and description
The palazzo dominating Piazza Mignanelli was constructed in the beginning of the 17th century. It was commissioned by the wealthy Gabrielli family from the city of Gubbio. The third floor of this building was not constructed until 1887, by Andrea Busiri Vici. The same architect also reconstructed the facade.
A marriage in the Gabrielli family was the reason the name Mignanelli was chosen.
One beautiful palazzo of course attracts more beautiful palazzi. After the Gabrielli building more buildings were constructed around Piazza Mignanelli. The steps leading up to the Trinità dei Monti church were also constructed.
In those days there was a chain separating the Piazza di Spagna from Piazza Mignanelli. The square could only be entered by people belonging to the circle of friends of the Gabrielli‘s.
The building on the right (when facing the Trinità dei Monti church) used to be the seat of the Inspectorate for Prices and Taxes, run by the Monte dei Paschi di Siena.