Cascades and Steps: The Porto di Ripetta and Other Changes to the Urban Fabric of Rome in the Eighteenth Century

The creation of some of the most famous roman piazzas in early eighteenth century seem to be less impressive then those of the century before. This impression, however, is misleading. The now destroyed Porta della Ripetta, the Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti and the piazza of the Fontana di Trevi all show the same characteristics that were inspired by garden architecture in the seventeenth century. Stairs leading up and down are like the flowing cascades and involve the pedestrian in an almost musical experience. There is no longer a place to make a precise observation, but a constant variation of viewpoints and continuous changes of direction that offer an “experience” of a new rhythmically organized space. The architectonic skill is in the ability to turn the completely banal function of dealing with differences of height into fragmentary visual experiences that only join to form a united picture in and through the movement of climbing or descending the steps.