One of Rome’s most famous landmarks, the Spanish Steps (Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti), has become the subject of a recent ownership dispute between Italy and France. While this iconic site has long been associated with Italian culture and history, a recent report from the French Court of Auditors raised questions about the legal status of the monument. This unexpected tension, driven by historical claims and modern political complexities, has been stirring debate on both sides of the Alps.
The Spanish Steps were designed by Italian architects Francesco De Sanctis and Alessandro Specchi, and were constructed between 1723 and 1726. The impressive 136-step staircase was built to connect Piazza di Spagna at the base with the Trinità dei Monti church at the top, an area that is now one of Rome’s most famous tourist attractions. The construction of the steps was financed by Étienne Gueffier, a French diplomat and philanthropist, who left a significant sum of money in his will specifically for this purpose: this French connection, despite the monument’s Italian location and design, is the crux of the modern-day dispute.
Earlier this month, the French Court of Auditors reignited the long-dormant debate over ownership and responsibility for maintaining the Spanish Steps, by seeking a “confirmation of the legal status” of the steps, and implying that France has a historic stake in the site due to the French financing of its construction. The French Court of Auditor’s report also criticized the maintenance of the Spanish Steps, alleging negligence by the Italian authorities in their upkeep over the years. Pierre Moscovici, President of the Court, attempted to downplay the controversy, stating that the report was not intended to assert ownership but to clarify responsibilities regarding maintenance and restoration.
However, this reassurance has done little to quell the tension.
Italy’s response has been swift and unequivocal: Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè, known for her strong nationalistic stance, publicly decried France’s position, stating, “What would France be without Italy? They cannot do without our luxury, our works or art, our beauty. But this is too much now. They even want to take the Spanish Steps of Trinità dei Monti.” Other Italian officials echoed Santanchè’s view; Fabio Rampelli, Vice-President of the Chamber of Deputies, sarcastically suggested that, if France insists on these claims, Italy might need to reassess its cultural losses at the hands of the French — Rampelli’s comment referred to the numerous Italian works of art that were taken to France, particularly during the Napoleonic era.
However, it’s important not to forget that the debate over the Spanish Steps is not an isolated incident but part of a broader discussion about France’s historical and cultural presence in Rome. France owns several churches in the city, including Trinità dei Monti, San Luigi dei Francesi, and Sant’Ivo dei Bretoni. These properties, along with others such as the prestigious Villa Medici, which houses the French Academy in Rome, are maintained under international agreements that date back to the 18th century. In 1790, Pope Pius VI entrusted Cardinal François-Joachim de Pierre de Bernis, the French Ambassador to the Holy See, with the protection of these religious buildings; the French institution known as the Pieux Établissements was established to manage these properties, and they continue to be overseen by this body today.
However, things have not always been smooth: during Mussolini’s fascist regime, Italy made an unsuccessful attempt to reclaim the properties from the French, further exposing the longstanding tensions over cultural and religious heritage in Rome between the the two nations. As implied in Fabio Rampelli’s statement on the subject, the Italian pushback against France’s claim to the Spanish Steps is tied to a deeper cultural resentment that originated in the Napoleonic era: let us understand why.
During the Napoleonic Wars, France famously looted art and cultural treasures from across Europe, particularly from Italy. This large-scale theft, described by art historian Paul Wescher as “the greatest displacement of works of art in history,” involved the removal of priceless artworks from museums, churches, and private collections. Among the most famous works taken were Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and Andrea Mantegna’s Madonna della Vittoria, both now housed in the Louvre Museum in Paris. While some looted works have been returned to Italy, many remain in France, leading to periodic calls for their repatriation. For instance, Luciano Sandonà, president of the Regional Commission for Institutional Policies in Italy, recently sent a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron, requesting the return of Paolo Callari’s Wedding at Cana to its original location in Italy.
So, calls for the return of Italian masterpieces are not new, but they gain urgency whenever disputes such as the one over the Spanish Steps arise. At the heart of the debate, though, is the complex question of how cultural heritage should be managed and who has the right to oversee historically significant sites. And, in the end, while the French involvement in the Spanish Steps’ construction is undeniable, Italian authorities have managed the site for centuries, with Rome’s cultural officials pointing, for example, to the city’s ongoing efforts to restore and maintain the steps, including major renovations in 1995 and 2014. The monument, they argue, is an integral part of Rome’s urban fabric and a public thoroughfare that belongs to Italy.
Claudio Parisi Presicce, superintendent of Cultural Heritage for Rome, clarified the matter, stating that while the French have a historical connection to the Trinità dei Monti church, the steps themselves have always been managed by the Italian municipal authorities. He emphasized that the steps are “an integral part of Rome as the capital of Italy.”
While it is unlikely that the Spanish Steps will become French territory — or even be managed by French authorities — the current dispute is a reminder of the deep interplay of European cultural histories, and of how many sites across the Old Continent are symbols of a shared heritage that goes beyond modern geopolitical borders. Yet, the practical and legal management of these sites remains a source of contention.
In this case, the solution may lie in what Pierre Moscovici alluded to: clarifying the legal situation to ensure that both nations can cooperate on the upkeep of the Spanish Steps without rekindling old rivalries.
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