Fontana della Piazza dei Quiriti Fontana della Piazza dei Quiriti Piazza dei Quiriti is a plaza in Rome in the middle of the Prati rione. It is named after the inhabitants of the city of Cures, the "Curites" or later "Quirites", namely the Sabines, who became inhabitants and co-founders of Rome. Another theory derives the name from the god Quirinus, a Roman deity. Near the square stands the church of St. Joachim, completed in 1898 by architect Raffaele Ingami. Its purpose was to solemnize the priestly and episcopal jubilee of Leo XIII. A fountain called the "Fountain of the Caryatids" is placed in the center,
Piazza Colonna of the Italian government. The east side is taken up by the 19th century public shopping arcade Galleria Colonna (since 2003 Galleria Alberto Sordi), the south side is taken up by the flank of Palazzo Ferrajoli, formerly the Papal post office, and the little Church of Santi Bartolomeo ed Alessandro dei Bergamaschi (1731-35). The west side is taken up by Palazzo Wedekind (1838) with a colonnade of Roman columns taken from Veii. The piazza has been a monumental open space since Antiquity; the temple of Marcus Aurelius stood on the site of Palazzo Wedekind (TCI). The fountain in the piazza