The _Barcaccia_, the fountain at the foot of the steps, executed by _Bernini_, is a stone boat commemorating the naumachia of Domitian,--naval battles which took place in an artificial lake surrounded by a kind of theatre, which once occupied the site of this piazza. In front of the _Palazzo di Spagna_ (the residence of the Spanish ambassador), which gives its name to the square, stands a _Column_ of cipollino, supporting a statue of the Virgin, erected by Pius IX. in 1854, in honour of his new dogma of the Immaculate Conception. At the base are figures of Moses, David, Isaiah, and Ezekiel. The Piazza di Spagna may be considered as the centre of the English quarter, of which the Corso forms the boundary. "Every winter there is a gay and pleasant English colony in Rome, of course more or less remarkable for rank, fashion, or agreeability, with every varying year. Thrown together every day and night after night, flocking to the same picture-galleries, statue-galleries, Pincian drives, and church functions, the English colonists at Rome perforce become intimate, and in many cases friendly. They have an English library where the various meets for the week are placarded: on such a day the Vatican galleries are open; the next is the feast of Saint so-and-so; on Wednesday there will be music and vespers at the Sistine Chapel; on Thursday the pope will bless the animals--sheep, horses, and what-not; and flocks of English accordingly rush to witness the benediction of droves of donkeys. In a word, the ancient city of the Cæsars, the august fanes of the popes, with their splendour and ceremony, are all mapped out and arranged for English diversion."--Thackeray, _The Newcomes._ The Piazza is closed by the _Collegio di Propaganda Fede_, founded in 1622 by Gregory XV., but enlarged by Urban VIII., who built the present edifice from plans of Bernini. Like all the buildings erected by this pope, its chief decorations are the bees of the Barberini. The object of the college is the education of youths of all nations as missionaries.