Piazza Navona is one of the most famous city square in Rome. It follows the plan of an ancient Roman circus, the 1st century Stadium of Domitian where the Romans came to watch the agones ("games"): It was known as 'Circus Agonalis' (competition arena). It is believed that over time the name changed to 'in agone' to 'navone' and eventually to 'navona'.

Defined as a public space in the last years of 15th century ( city market) the stadium was therefore paved over but remnants of Domitian's stadium are still visible around the area.

Piazza Navona has been ever since the pride of Baroque Roman art history. It features sculptural and architectural creations by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, whose famous Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers, 1651) stands in the center. The church of Sant'Agnese in Agone was designed by Francesco Borromini and Girolamo Rainaldi, whereas Pietro da Cortona painted the galleria in the Pamphilj palace. The piazza is featured in Dan Brown's 2000 thriller Angels and Demons.