The name of the Spanish Steps and the Piazza di Spagna is derived from Palazzo di Spagna at the southwestern end of the square, built as the Spanish embassy in the 17th century. However, it isn’t individual buildings that attract people to the Piazza di Spagna, it’s the atmosphere. Visitors enjoy sitting on the steps of the famous stairway below the church of Trinità dei Monti, watching the streams of people in this exclusive shopping district or listening to street musicians.