The difference in elevation clearly separated the church from the city below. There were several projects to connect the church with the Piazza di Spagna, but they never came to fruition. It was not until the French, as owners of the land and Pope Innocent XIII, approved De Sanctis' staircase project in 1720 and the construction of the Spanish Steps began. The construction (located near the Spanish Embassy) was intended to celebrate the peace between France and Spain.
