The most famous staircase in Rome was paid for by a Frenchman, leads to a French church, and is named after the Spanish embassy at its foot. Here's what you're looking at, and what to listen for when you get there.
The steps were funded by a bequest from the French diplomat Étienne Gueffier to link the French church of Trinità dei Monti at the top with the square below. The square was named after the Spanish embassy to the Holy See, and the name stuck to the steps too.
The Barcaccia fountain at the bottom, by Pietro Bernini and his son Gian Lorenzo, is a half-sunken boat. The water pressure here was too low for a tall jet, so they made a fountain that sits low and overflows.
Since 2019, sitting on the steps can earn you a fine. The city brought the rule in after a costly restoration, to protect the travertine.
After the Piazza di Spagna at their foot, named for the Spanish embassy to the Holy See. The steps themselves were paid for by a French diplomat.
No. Since 2019, sitting on the steps is not allowed and can be fined.
There are 135 steps, built between 1723 and 1726.