Keeping Cool in the Summertime
When it's hot, just flood it all.
It’s summer, and there is a lot going on for me, so the first part of this post is a bit of a repost from last summer, about the flooding of Piazza Navona, which I find absolutely fascinating. My AC has been broken twice this summer, and as I write this I’m waiting for the technician to arrive, so the idea of a flooded piazza to run through sounds like a good one.
The Flooding of Piazza Navona
Piazza Navona, one of Rome’s most renowned public spaces, has long been cherished for its rich history, stunning architecture, and vibrant atmosphere. It’s certainly one of my absolute favorite places. Sitting on the piazza, enjoying a spritz, listening to the buskers, and watching people—that constitutes a perfect time for me.
In the 1st century AD, Piazza Navona was the site of the Stadium of Domitian, a venue for athletic contests, known as agones. This is why the area kept the name agone which later evolved into navone and eventually Navona. Back then, the stadium was encircled by taverns and lupanari (ancient brothels). Later, in medieval times, it was the site of a vast market. It wasn’t until the Baroque period that the piazza started to take its present shape. Pope Innocent X commissioned the construction of the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers) in the center of the piazza, designed by the legendary Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini. He also moved the market to Campo dei Fiori, to clean up the area and make the view more palatable for his lover, Olimpia Maidalchini (she was married to the Pope’s brother) from Palazzo Pamphilji (which now houses the Brazilian embassy).
If you ask me, it really is one of the most gorgeous piazzas ever dreamed up. Here’s what it normally looks like.
Another interesting thing that occurred during the pontificate of Innocent X was the start of a unique tradition: the summer flooding of the piazza. The drains of the fountains would be blocked, allowing water to gradually fill the square, creating a temporary "Lake Navona.” It was a grand spectacle, a way for the nobility to flaunt their power, and provide a respite from the summer heat for the populace. It lasted for two centuries, from 1651 until 1867, when they raised the level of the piazza.
The process of flooding the square was quite straightforward. The water for the fountains was supplied by the Aqua Virgo, one of the ancient aqueducts of Rome. To flood the piazza, the drains of the three fountains were sealed off, allowing the water to gradually fill the square’s concave basin. This would typically occur overnight, transforming the piazza into a temporary lake by morning.
For the Romans, who were accustomed to the scorching summer heat, this event was not just a display of power or a spectacle, but also a means of relief. The shallow lake was a playground for children and a place where adults could cool off. Small boats would be brought into the square, adding to the festive atmosphere.
The practice of flooding Piazza Navona stopped in the mid-19th century due to health and safety concerns.
Wild huh? I imagine that the summer tourists there in the blistering heat right now were wishing for a Navona lake!
Down south of Rome, in Salerno, they’re flooding the streets in the annual “A Chiena di Campagna” a water festival that floods the streets. Every Saturday and Sunday from July 16-Aug 17, they throw water around in what was originally a way to clean the streets, but now, with all the heatwaves this summer, has certainly become a way to beat the heat. Click through the below to see what I mean. It looks like fun!
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WHAT’S BRINGING ME JOY
Rock beats Scissors but it gets progressively harder.
From Matt Ponesse, Professor of History at Ohio Dominican University. I too often feel this way 😂.
This ridiculous, hilarious clip from 80s tv show Quincy, M.E. about how Punk Rock Kills.
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Amazing to see the fountains rising up out of the "lake". Fantastic photos!
I love your newsletters. But every time I try to connect to the Instagram link it comes up as broken.