Walking through Garbatella, one of Rome’s most beloved neighborhoods, you come across Piazza Damiano Sauli, an urban space that tells nearly a century of Roman history, popular architecture, and everyday neighborhood life.
The square, named after a Genoese educator and philanthropist, is today one of the most recognizable symbols of Garbatella, known not only to Romans but also to thousands of Italians thanks to the famous TV series “I Cesaroni”, filmed right in this area.
Anyone who followed the story of the Cesaroni family will immediately recognize the square, its benches, trees, and the distinctive façades of the surrounding buildings.
However, Piazza Damiano Sauli is much more than a television location: it is the heart of a neighborhood that was born in the 1920s as a “garden suburb”, designed to offer workers dignified housing immersed in greenery, with strong attention to community life.
The urban layout of the square reflects the spirit of Garbatella: at its center lies a large pedestrian area, dominated by the Church of Santa Francesca Romana alla Garbatella, a building in rationalist style with neo-Romanesque elements, built in 1928 and designed by Innocenzo Sabbatini, the same architect responsible for many of the neighborhood’s historic buildings.
Surrounding it are the typical small villas and low-rise buildings in tuff and brick, decorated with arches, small balconies, and inner courtyards—emblematic examples of early 20th-century Roman popular architecture.
Over time, the square has become a meeting place where tradition and contemporary life coexist: families, students, and tourists mingle among the church cloister, local cafés, and historic shops.
Cultural and social initiatives promoted by local associations are also part of everyday life here, keeping alive the original spirit of solidarity and community that characterizes Garbatella.
For those staying in Rome, Piazza Damiano Sauli is a must-see destination, easily reachable from the tourist apartments Little Blue and Little Red, located in the nearby San Paolo district, on Via Timoteo, a quiet side street off Via Ostiense.
The apartments offered by i-Roma, Little Blue and Little Red, are modern, fully equipped, welcoming and bright, and well connected to the Garbatella area. In just a few minutes by car or via Metro Line B (stop San Paolo), you can reach the heart of the square.
Staying in these apartments means having not only the historic center within easy reach, but also neighborhoods rich in identity and charm.
A walk through Piazza Damiano Sauli allows you to experience an authentic atmosphere, shaped by history, architecture, and daily life, where every corner tells something about Rome’s past and present.
