Sampietrini in Rome, those peculiar dark cube-shaped stones that the roads of our capital are paved with… have you noticed them? Sampietrini are known to be  treacherous: the space between one another makes them a high-heeled lady’s worst nightmare. As for the drivers: hit the brakes on a wet sampietrini pavement, and you’ll wish you had ice-skates instead of wheels.

Most of Rome’s historical center and main streets are paved with Sampietrini, since having space between one another allows the soil to breath. Sampietrini are common in  Rome also because they  adapt perfectly to the ground’s shape and, being of solid volcanic rock, can withstand heavy loads of traffic.