Piazza San Silvestro is a square in the center of Rome. It is named for the Basilica of San Silvestro in Capite facing it and that was built on top of the house of two brothers who both became Pope, Stefano II and Paolo II. It used to be a major bus hub, but has now been transformed into a pedestrian area.
Piazza San Silvestro Rome
History
During the late Middle Ages the square was called Catapauli for a while, a semi-Greek, semi-Latin word meaning “near Paul”.
The site where Piazza San Silvestro is located used to be taken up by the Temple of the Sun (Tempio del Sole), which was constructed by Aureliano in 273 after the conquest of Palmira. The temple consisted of two courtyards connected by a square room. Inside one of the courtyards a round temple with 16 columns could be admired. Underneath the surrounding arches the vina fiscalia, wine that was to be distributed for free, was preserved.
From the 1940’s until 2011 the Piazza San Silvestro was a major bus hub.
Tourist attractions
The Palazzo delle Poste is housed in what was once the convent attached to the Church of San Silvestro. Before it became the main post office of the city, for a while it was the seat of the Ministry of Public Works.
The Palazzo dell’Acqua Pia Antica Marcia was designed by Michele Busiri Vici.
Tha Palazzo Marignoli is named for the man who built it between 1874 and 1883, Filippo Marignoli. The architect was Salvatore Bianchi, but Giulio Podesti was responsible for the facade.