The street complex of the Tridente originates from an important city planning project released between 15th and 17th century, which reorganized the three streets that, starting from the main gateway of Rome, Porta del Popolo, conveyed the traffic towards the major basilicas:

• Via di Ripetta towards Ponte Sant'Angelo and St. Peter's Basilica;
• Via del Corso (formerly named Via Lata, an ancient lengthening of Via Flaminia), which, through Campus Martius, reached the papal palace of Piazza Venezia and went ahead towards St. John Lateran;
• Via del Babuino (formerly Via Clementina), which, through Piazza di Spagna climbed to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.

Presently at the far end of the three streets forming the Tridente are respectively:

• Piazza Cardelli and Via della Scrofa, at the end of Via di Ripetta;
• Piazza Venezia, at the end of Via del Corso;
• Piazza di Spagna, at the end of Via del Babuino.

• Rendina, Claudio (2005). Enciclopedia di Roma. Rome: Newton Compton. ISBN 88-541-0304-7.