Piazza della Minerva

Piazza della Minerva

Piazza della Minerva
4.5
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Duration: < 1 hour
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The area

Address
Neighborhood: Navona / Pantheon / Campo de’ Fiori
With three of Rome’s most beloved piazzas within a five-minute walk of each other, the Navona / Pantheon / Campo area may be the prettiest and most picturesque area of the city. Join the beautiful throngs hanging out in cafes, boutiques, art galleries, and wine bars, or peek at a neighborhood museum or monument. If you want nonstop movida, the streets here are busy with chic bicyclists and Vespa drivers, street vendors, merchants, and locals. There is no rhyme or reason to its winding streets and there's something to see around every corner, so take pleasure in a spontaneous wander.
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See what travelers are saying

  • PATO-BETO
    San Martin, Argentina20,853 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    VERY CLOSE TO THE PANTHEON OF AGRIPPA
    Small square that is located very close to the Pantheon of Agrippa. The Egyptian obelisk with an elephant at the base, some palaces and the Gothic-style Basilica of Santa María sobre Minerva stand out. It is not that visited by tourists, at least when we went the place was quite quiet.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written February 27, 2024
  • Mairwen1
    United Kingdom12,133 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    At the Back of the Pantheon….
    This is another of those wonderful, hidden corners of Rome that you can stumble across if you’re lucky. Piazza della Minerva is a small, cosy piazza behind the Pantheon. Standing out the front of the Pantheon, walk around the left hand side and you will find it. There are two highlights here. The first is the Bernini elephant which stands in the centre of the small piazza, carrying an ancient Egyptian obelisk on its back. Whole walking tours are designed around seeing Bernini’s work in Rome this is one of his most charming. The other highlight is inside the Church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva which fronts onto the piazza. It’s relatively plain facade is a little misleading because inside is a beautiful David-like sculpture of Christ by Michelangelo. It’s free to enter, there are no queues to get in, no barriers or glass around the work, and you will be able to stand in front of the sculpture and admire it for as long as you like, with no-one in front of you blocking your view. In all likelihood, there won’t even be anyone else around you at all.
    Visited June 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 1, 2024
  • MFaro
    Italy2,893 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Minerva Square
    Square in the historic center of Rome, which overlooks the church of the same name and other beautiful buildings, including the one where Galileo Galilei's abjuration took place. At its center there is also the Minerva obelisk with the famous elephant. To visit.
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 6, 2024
  • TravelingSoccerLoon
    Saint Paul, Minnesota7,991 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Charming Public Square Around the Corner from the Pantheon
    Charming public square near the Pantheon and in front of the Church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva. The church is significant as it is one of the only in Rome with a Gothic interior dating back to 1370 and the fact that it was built over the ruins of a pagan temple. In the square is Bernini's Elephant and Obelisk statue originally unveiled in 1667 and containing an obelisk dating back to ancient Egypt and found during excavations of the site where the temple sat.
    Visited January 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written December 5, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles137 reviews
Excellent
55
Very good
62
Average
20
Poor
0
Terrible
0

Mairwen1
United Kingdom12,133 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022
This is not one of the big, flashy piazzas but it’s probably my favourite small one. It’s just around the back of the Pantheon so it’s easy to visit.
There are two things that make me love it.
One is the unexpected Michelangelo sculpture inside the church of Santa Maria della Minerva. Like every other tourist, I’ve stood in queues and pre-purchased tickets to see Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel and Pieta at St Peter’s so it’s surprising to find a beautiful David-like sculpture of Christ sitting quietly inside this church on a tiny little piazza. There’s no hype and no queues but it’s just beautiful. Entry is free, although at the moment (due to renovation works), you can’t enter from Piazza Minerva and will need to go around the other side.
The other thing thing to love about Piazza Minerva is the curious and quirky elephant and obelisk monument in the middle of the square. What you see here is a marble elephant by the famous sculptor, Bernini, carrying an ancient Egyptian obelisk its back. It seems a weird combo. However the Roman emperors brought back lots of obelisks from ancient Egypt and at least 13 are still scattered around the city. Why an elephant? Apparently at the time, elephants were popular objects of curiosity. Pope Leo X even had a pet elephant, Hanno (a gift from the King of Portugal) and when it died, he buried under the Vatican.
Overall this is a great little piazza and it is worth taking a bit of extra time to walk behind the Pantheon to have a look.
Written July 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Steveage
Rexburg, ID3,119 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2019
Standing at this ancient obelisk, the back side of the Pantheon is in view. This Egyptian obelisk was made in 580 BC and brought to Rome under Diocletian in 290 AD. The supporting elephant was made in 1667. Like everywhere in Rome, this another beautiful piazza.
Written March 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mairwen1
United Kingdom12,133 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Couples
This is another of those wonderful, hidden corners of Rome that you can stumble across if you’re lucky. Piazza della Minerva is a small, cosy piazza behind the Pantheon. Standing out the front of the Pantheon, walk around the left hand side and you will find it.
There are two highlights here.
The first is the Bernini elephant which stands in the centre of the small piazza, carrying an ancient Egyptian obelisk on its back.
Whole walking tours are designed around seeing Bernini’s work in Rome this is one of his most charming.
The other highlight is inside the Church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva which fronts onto the piazza. It’s relatively plain facade is a little misleading because inside is a beautiful David-like sculpture of Christ by Michelangelo. It’s free to enter, there are no queues to get in, no barriers or glass around the work, and you will be able to stand in front of the sculpture and admire it for as long as you like, with no-one in front of you blocking your view. In all likelihood, there won’t even be anyone else around you at all.
Written June 1, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brad
Hong Kong, China181,206 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Family
This is a small square just in front of Santa Maria sopra Minerva church to the immediate southeast of the Pantheon. In addition to visiting the Medieval Dominican church here, you will also find a peculiar Elephant and Minerva Obelisk monument that is the work of G.L. Bernini. There is significantly less activity here compared to the very busy Piazza della Rotunda in front of Pantheon which is nice is you need a bit of a break from the crowds.
Written April 29, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

dapper777
Monaco68,591 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2019 • Friends
In 1665 a small obelisk belonging to the Iseum Campense (the Egyptian Temple of Isis and Serapis in Campo Marzio, located in the area between the Pantheon and the church of St Ignatius), was found in the cloister of the Dominican monastery.
Originally one of a pair from Sais, a town in Lower Egypt, it was originally erected by the pharaoh Apries, circa 570 BC.
It was brought to Rome by Diocletian for the nearby Temple of Isis.
Found in 1655, it was erected in 1667 by Pope Alexander VII on its famous elephant base by Bernini, behind the Pantheon in Piazza della Minerva, in front of the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva.
On the base is inscribed the following (in Latin): “Whoever sees here that the symbols of the Egyptian sage, inscribed on the obelisk, are carried by the elephant, the strongest of the animal, understand that it is a proof of a robust mind to sustain solid wisdom". In few words, it roughly says that in the same way that the obelisk, a symbol of Egyptian wisdom, is supported by an elephant, the strongest of all animals, a robust mind is required to achieve wisdom.
Bernini was asked by Pope Alexander VII to submit projects for its erection in the square in front of the church.
Among the numerous projects that Bernini presented, the elephant was chosen as a symbolic representation of strength.
Bernini, however, in his original project, did not provide the animal with any support and therefore the weight of the obelisk should have weighed entirely on the elephant's legs.
However, the pope didn’t agree and decided that a support should be added. The Master was forced to insert a stone cube on the elephant's back.
The attempt to hide the stone cube, covering it with a long caparison, almost entirely occupied by the papal heraldic emblems, which reached the base, was not sufficient to mask the weighting of the entire monument.
Just for this reason the Romans began to call it the "Porcino (Piggy) della Minerva", which later became "purcino" (Roman dialectal form for 'pulcino') and therefore "chick".
"Minerva's Chick" is brilliantly carved and adorable elephant statue designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
The monument stands in front of the medieval church named Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, run by the dominican order, whose dedication sprang from the fact of having been built over the ruins of a no longer existent temple dedicated to Minerva, the ancient Roman goddess of knowledge.
Facing the piazza, are the church, a convent (or casa professa) of the Dominicans, and Palazzo Fonseca, a XVIth century building which was modified in the XIXth century and turned into a hotel. The palace opposite the church of S. Maria sopra Minerva housed Accademia Ecclesiastica, an institution which provided high level education to the children of the richest families. It is now an academy that trains the diplomats of Vatican City.
Beautiful, airy and bright aquare.
We loved it.
Written April 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

EddySch
Greater London, UK365 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2019
Located close to the Pantheon the Piazza della Minerva is a lovely little square the highlight of which is the obelisk sat on top of an elephant - a wonderful sculpture by Bernini which legend has it started life as a sculpture of a pig! It’s well worth the effort to make sure you see it...
Written September 8, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

finesilver
Denver, CO2,168 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2018 • Business
This is a little square near the back of the Pantheon. It has an elephant carved by Bernini and an obelisk too, one of several in Roma. There is a great church there too, so well worth checking it out while you are near the Pantheon. Just walk around the back side and you can't miss this.

Enjoy. Worth checking out for a few minutes if not more.
Written June 23, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SanjayBijlani
Mumbai, India447 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2017 • Family
Located just behind the Pantheon is this small public square called Piazza della Minerva. When you visit the Pantheon this is the normal area where the tourist vehicle will drop you off. After being stunned by the gigantic columns and architecture of the Pantheon as you reel back to your parking lot this unique statue is bound to catch your attention ! This sculpture by Bernini was unveiled in mid 1660's next to the Church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. Sadly one of the tusks of the elephant was vandalized in 2016. The church bears inscriptions to indicate this is the lowest point in Rome and was subjected to flooding from River Tiber. To the right of the sculpture is the famous hotel of Rome called the Minerva since 1830's which was known as Palazzo Fonesca in 16th century ! To the other side of the Obelisk facing the church is a former Academy for training of diplomats of Vatican city. Indeed a historic square of Rome worth spending few minutes when near the Pantheon !
Written February 17, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Shasha
Chino Valley, AZ594 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2023 • Couples
Visit this tiny piazza to see the charming Bernini elephant with a miniature column (from the Temple of Isis) on its back.
A Dominican monk who lost the contract to Bernini persuaded the pope to make Bernini stabilize the statue by putting a block under the elephant’s belly. That angered Bernini, so he placed the elephant’s butt to face the monk’s monastery.
Written March 27, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bob E
45 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2018 • Couples
We especially wanted to revisit the obelisk set on the Indian elephant's back, toward the rear of the Pantheon. Needing a break from the crowds and to "water the horse", we stopped for a relaxed drink at the Hotel Minerva, and were quietly welcomed. A pleasant and refined interlude.
Written December 21, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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