The Piazza del Quirinale is located atop the hill of the same name, which is the highest of the famous 7 hills on which Rome is built. The main attractions on this square are the Quirinal Palace and the Quirinal Obelisk.
Piazza del Quirinale Rome
History
The Piazza del Quirinale is located on the summit of the Quirinal Hill. This was the highest one of Rome’s famous seven hills. It got its name from the Temple of Quirinus. Quirinus was a Sabine God, and it was this tribe that had settled on the Quirinal Hill.
Tourist Attractions
Piazza del Quirinale is dominated by the Palazzo del Quirinale (Quirinal Palace), the current seat of the Italian President.
In the center of the square stands the Obelisco Quirinale. It was placed here in 1786, after first standing near the Mausoleum of Augustus. The two more than five meter tall statues of the Dioscuri Castor and Pollux at the obelisk have been there since 1588 and were commissioned by Pope Sixtus V. In 1818, a fountain was added, called the Fountain of the Dioscuri.
In addition to the Palazo del Quirininale, there are two other impressive buildings facing the square. The Palazzo della Consulta was built in 1734 by Ferdinando Fuga (commissioned by Pope Clement XII). The Palazzo Pallavicini-Rospigliosi was constructed in 1603. Ruins of the Baths of Constantine were used as its foundation.
The entrance to the prestigious Scuderie del Quirinale Museum is just off the square.
Except in August, the changing of the guard can be seen every day in the square.