Following a competition the stairs with 138 steps were designed by architects
Francesco de Sanctis and Alessandro Specchi.to link up two city squares Piazza di Spagna at the base and Piazza Trinità dei Monti and also to provide accessible aproach to the Trinita dei Monti church .
The proposed development was beyond the imagination and provides a wonderfull view from both lower and upper level and is still the widest stairs in europe.
A very interesting feature of the piazza below is an early baroque fountain Fontana della Barcaccia -Fountain of the Old Boat - by Pietro Bernini, father of Gian Lorenzo Bernini.