Discover Campo de' Fiori Piazza

Campo de' Fiori is the only monumental square in Rome's historic centre with no church or basilica on it. Turismo Roma states it plainly, and on a square where the Inquisition burned a philosopher and the Holy Office burned the Talmud, the one building missing is a church.

It sits between Piazza Navona and the aristocratic Piazza Farnese — where, since 1874, the palace of the same name has housed the embassy of France — and its name means what it says: Turismo Roma records it was made by order of Pope Callixtus III on the place where a colourful field of flowers anciently stood. The reference work adds that the name dates to the Middle Ages, when the area was a meadow, and that in ancient Rome this was unused space between Pompey's Theatre and the flood-prone Tiber.

The sources differ on when it was paved. Turismo Roma says 1440, with inns and hotels for pilgrims rising around the perimeter; the reference work says 1456, under Callixtus III, by Ludovico Cardinal Trevisani. Callixtus III reigned from 1455, so Turismo Roma's own account sits awkwardly with itself. Both are given here.

The streets around it are named for the trades that worked them: Via dei Balestrari for crossbow-makers, Via dei Baullari for coffer-makers, Via dei Cappellari for hat-makers, Via dei Chiavari for key-makers and Via dei Giubbonari for tailors. The square itself has never been architecturally formalized.

The market arrived in 1869 from Piazza Navona. Turismo Roma says it traditionally takes place every morning from Monday to Saturday; the reference work calls it daily. Its historic wooden stalls sell flowers, fruit, meat and fish, always fresh.

And in the middle stands a man who was burned here. Giordano Bruno was burnt alive for heresy on 17 February 1600, and all of his works were placed on the Index of Forbidden Books. Ettore Ferrari's statue was raised on the exact spot of his death on 9 June 1889; he stands defiantly facing the Vatican, and the granite base carries the effigies of other heretics, scenes from his life, and the inscription A Bruno, il secolo da lui divinato, qui dove il rogo arse — to Bruno, from the century he foresaw, here where the fire burned.

At dusk the square becomes convivial and lively, which is the other thing it is famous for. It is a short walk from Piazza Navona.

Its defining architectural quality is that it has none, on purpose. The reference work states that Campo de' Fiori has never been architecturally formalized and has always remained a focus for commercial and street culture. There is no governing facade and no axis.

And there is no church, which is unique. Turismo Roma records it as the only monumental square of the historic centre that does not host a church or basilica. The nearest, Santa Brigida a Campo de' Fiori, built under Boniface IX (1389–1404), now faces the part of the former square that is today Piazza Farnese — the square was divided by later building, and the church went with the other half.

The plan is a rectangle that grew. In ancient Rome this was unused space between Pompey's Theatre and the flood-prone Tiber; it was paved in 1440 or 1456, with inns and hotels for pilgrims around the perimeter; and the demolition of a block of housing in 1858 enlarged it to its present size.

Its edges are named, not built. The surrounding streets carry the trades: Balestrari (crossbow-makers), Baullari (coffer-makers), Cappellari (hat-makers), Chiavari (key-makers), Giubbonari (tailors). Via Florea and Via Pellegrino were cut by Sixtus IV to make the square part of the Via papale.

The fountain is a copy and the original is a mile away. Turismo Roma gives the basin to Giacomo della Porta in 1590; the reference work calls it the ancient cattle fountain known as la Terrina. Lidded in travertine in 1622 after the market turned it into a washing tub, evicted in 1889 for the Bruno statue, 35 years in the Testaccio depot, and finally set in front of the Chiesa Nuova. The square got a copy without the lid in 1898, now used to keep cut flowers.

Nobody designed this square; it is the gap that was left. In ancient Rome the area was unused space between Pompey's Theatre and the flood-prone Tiber, and it remained undeveloped until the 15th century.

The one deliberate act was paving it, and the date is disputed. Turismo Roma: in 1440 the square was paved, and inns and hotels for pilgrims rose around its perimeter. The reference work: in 1456, under Pope Callixtus III, Ludovico Cardinal Trevisani paved the area as part of a large project to improve the rione Parione. Turismo Roma credits the square itself to Callixtus III, who reigned from 1455, which sits awkwardly with its own 1440.

What made it valuable was being put on a route. Sixtus IV installed the access streets Via Florea and Via Pellegrino, and the square became part of the Via papale, the street linking St John Lateran and the Vatican that the Pope traversed after his election in the Cavalcata del possesso. This urban development brought wealth to the area.

It was enlarged by demolition, not by design. The demolition of a block of housing in 1858 enlarged Campo de' Fiori, which is why the rectangle is the size it is.

And its furniture came and went. Della Porta's basin of 1590 was lidded in travertine in 1622, evicted in 1889 for the Bruno monument, and replaced by a copy without the lid in 1898.

When is the market on? Turismo Roma says every morning from Monday to Saturday. The reference work calls it daily. The two disagree about Sunday.

Does it cost anything? No. It is an open public square.

Who is the statue of? Giordano Bruno, burnt alive for heresy here on 17 February 1600. Ettore Ferrari's monument was raised on the exact spot of his death on 9 June 1889, and he stands defiantly facing the Vatican.

What does the inscription say? A Bruno, il secolo da lui divinato, qui dove il rogo arse — to Bruno, from the century he foresaw, here where the fire burned.

Is there really no church? Correct, and it is unique: Turismo Roma records Campo de' Fiori as the only monumental square of the historic centre that does not host a church or basilica.

What is the small plaque in the paving? It commemorates the burning of the Talmud by the Holy Office on 9 September 1553, the first day of Rosh Hashanah. It was affixed in 2011, inspired by the monument to Giordano Bruno.

Where does the name come from? The name dates to the Middle Ages when the area was a meadow; Turismo Roma says the square was made where a colourful field of flowers anciently stood.

When was it paved? The sources differ: 1440 (Turismo Roma) or 1456, under Callixtus III, by Ludovico Cardinal Trevisani (the reference work).

Why are the streets around it named as they are? For the trades: Balestrari crossbow-makers, Baullari coffer-makers, Cappellari hat-makers, Chiavari key-makers, Giubbonari tailors.

How long should I allow? Thirty minutes with the market, fifteen without.