Unlike most of the piazzas in Rome, its relatively square planning was laid out late last century as home for the Monument of king Vittorio Emmanuele II. The strategic positioning of this piazza allows one to reach both the archeological aspects of Medieval Rome as well as those of the Renaissance age but now in modern Rome, it has become the monument found at a highly trafficked crossroad where almost any bus that you might want to be on will eventually pass through the piazza.

Piazza Venezia

Once used as a Papal residence and also near Capitol Hill, or Campigoglio, where many Popes used to spend their summers in the convent that was once found there but later removed to make room for the monument, found on the South side and dominating the Piazza, which was dedicated to King Vittorio Emmanuele II, the first king of unified Italy.

This monument officially named Altar of the Fatherhood, was constructed between 1885 and 1905 and changed the entire appearance of the area because of its massive size.. The whole area and its surroundings had to be cleared, including many ancient and medaieval structures. One can also find the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier which was incorporated and has been housed here since 1921.

The piazza takes its name from Palazzo Venezia which can be found on the western side which at one time was used by Ambassadors from the Republic of Venice. This impressive building was constructed in the fifteenth century by Cardinal Pietro Barbo, who later became Pope Paul II.

It was from the balcony on the first floor of Palazzo Venezia that Benito Mussolini spoke to the crowds that filled the piazza during his popularity in Italy. The Northern end of Piazza Venezia is the end for traffic coming from Via del Corso which runs about 1.5 kilometers straight from Piazza del Popolo This Via gets its name from an antique horserace, or corso, which finished in the piazza. On the western corner of the piazza, always on Via del Corso, one can find Palazzo Bonaparte where Napoleon's mother lived after the French Empire fell. The Risorgimento Museum, which is dedicated to the nationalist movement that brought about the "resurgeance" of the Italian movement that led to the unification of Italy in 1861 with the welding together of many little states under the House of Savoy, can be found off to the left behind the monument. To the east and completing the form of the piazza is a building constructed in a neo-gothic style, the Palazzo della Assicurazione Generale di Venezia.