Why are they called the Spanish Steps?

http://www.frommers.com/destinations...nav=0064022152

According to Frommers: "The steps and the square (Piazza di Spagna) take their names from the Spanish Embassy, which used to be headquartered here. Designed by Italian architect Francesco de Sanctis and built from 1723 to 1725, they were funded almost entirely by the French as a preface to Trinità dei Monti at the top."

Piazza di Spagna, which surrounds the steps known as 'Spanish Steps' but also called 'Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti' in Italian, is so called from the Spanish Embassy that is still situated to the southwest of the stairs near the Immaculate Conception column, while the French Embassy was loacted to the north.

Thanks!

The more common Roman name for this phenom seems to be the Spanish Stairs...you don't really want to know some of the things that go on both ON them and behind them..trust me on this one.

Now that sounds exciting!