The Piazza Navona has been called the most picturesque square in Rome and one of the liveliest visitors and Romans alike relax in one of the Piazza's famous cafes. Watching the play of the three fountains and the throngs of people who passed through the square, the Piazza Navona originated as a stadium completed in AD. 86 for athletic events during the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian. The current Piazza preserves the form of the ancient stadium, which could have seated 30,000 spectators. For centuries, the Piazza has been a centre of Roman life. It was a marketplace from 1477 to 1869, from the 1600s to the late 1800s. The square was flooded every August weekend for the entertainment of the Romans. Today, religious statues are sold in the Piazza during the Christmas season, and a fair and toy market is held annually during Epiphany. The Piazza is dominated by its three beautiful fountains. The central fountain, called the Fountain of the Four Rivers, is the only fountain designed by the famous Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Within the group of rocks and grottos are large allegorical figures representing the rivers Danube, Ganges, Nile, and Plate, representing Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. The figures were carved by Bernini's pupils.