Ask if you don’t know. Again.

Once I had not only taken photos but also enjoyed the fresh breeze and endless view from the Quirinale, I started the descent down a narrow, winding pebbled street, to find my way to Fontana di Trevi. As I am walking downhill, there is another Palazzo on the opposite side of the street from the Quirinale. A policeman (this one dressed like a traffic policeman, not in any fancy outfit) is at the entrance. This is a smaller, yet exquisite palazzo. Here I go again: “Scuzzi, what building is this?” It is part of the Quirinale.

Another Palazzo at Piazza del Quirinale, part of Palazzo del Quirinale.

Ministry across Piazza del Quirinale.

The other palazzo on Quirinale hill. The General Secretary of the Republic's Presidency.

Thoughts that came to me were: Do governments need all this space? To LIVE? Nowadays? My inquisitive mind was soon distracted by architectural beauties, by the charm of the whole picture, and my questioning was derailed if not stopped. At least until my city-hiking was over that evening.

Coming down Quirinale Hill, getting intoxicated with the surrounding charm and beauty. Until I arrived to the final destination of the day: Fontana di Trevi.

Yet, as in Rome there is a surprise at every corner, if not at every step, that was by no means the end of the day. I discovered this small church around Fontana di Trevi -so small, that it does not show on maps-, in sheer contrast with the spectacular magnificence of the fountain-monument.

Small church around Fontana di Trevi.

I like the impression one gets coming out from a church, it is like coming out from a box into a surprise world: whether it is a view to a piazza, a picturesque view from a gate or arch... and in this case, it was a down-to-earth snapshot of the local scenery, colorful architectural beauty -different from the Fontana and the church-, loud noise in contrast with the silence of inside the church and the sound of water mixed with tourists' rumble from the fountain.