This square was projected by architect Giuseppe
Valadier (1762-1839) . He made Piazza del Popolo one of the largest
squares in the city and turned the shape into an oval. He retained
the Porta del Popolo, the central obelisk and the twin churches
flanking Via del Corso, and opened out the space into two semicircles
adorned with fountains and allegorical neo-classical statues.