325 Blog 4

Walking through the city of Rome, one is sure to find multiple “piazzas” in a short amount of time. These piazzas are areas, usually paved with cobblestones, which contain a section in which no traffic is allowed. Each piazza varies in size, but there are always places to sit and eat. One of the other main features of a piazza is a fountain or some form of sculpture. Most piazzas contain some important work of art, and all of them have their own beauty.
As Muriel Spark once explained in an essay: in Rome children play in fountains designed by Bernini, foreign embassies exist in buildings created by Michelangelo, and the clothing of locals hang to dry outside the windows of 15th century buildings. Only in Rome will you see these sights, and piazzas contain all of these. Amongst the rush associated with the city of Rome, a piazza provides instant relief. In these places, tourists and locals somehow remember that we all occasionally need to slow down to enjoy life. Artists attempt to sell portraits of tourists, writers post up on a bench and record mysterious words in a journal, and children run and play amongst everyone.
The piazzas, especially the large and beautiful ones, are crowded just like the rest of Rome. But it is a different type of crowd. Everyone shares a similar state of mind, and piazzas are one of the best places to feel the culture of Rome. In these locations, one can hear the real noise of the city. Waiters stand outside their cafes and try to lure in anyone who walks by with talks of great food for low prices. Children laugh as they chase pigeons or run with the dogs that are unleashed. And listening to all of the people milling around in a piazza, often five or six different languages can be deciphered.
The piazzas are designed in the true image of Rome. It is here that you can understand what the author Alice Steinbach described best: “Rome has endured.” Throughout history, Rome has always been one of the most important cities in the world. And Rome still holds this importance today. In these piazzas, we can experience the great history of Rome while enjoying the modern culture that has inhabited the city. Piazzas in Rome are unlike any parks in any other city, just as Rome is unique from any other place in the world.