Rome is the city of Water. The Romans built 11 acqueducts for the water supply. The fall of the Roman Empire corresponds with the cut of the roman acqueducts by the Barbarians. During the Renaissance and the Baroque period the Popes built beautiful fountains restoring ancient acqueducts. Discover the Top 10 of the most beautiful fountains of Rome with an authorized tour guide of Rome.
1) Probably the most famous fountain in the world. The Trevi Fountain is a late Baroque masterpiece by Nicola Salvi, which represents the monumental end of the "Aqua Virgo". The fountain is decorating the facade of Palazzo Poli. The fountain is also famous for some movies such as "La Dolce Vita" by Fellini where the Swedish actress Anita Ekberg is swimming in the fountain with the "Paparazzi" Marcello Mastroianni.
2) Fountain of the 4 Rivers, Piazza Navona. Masterpiece of the Baroque artist Bernini, was commissioned by Pope Innocentius X. The papal coat of arms is represented on top of the fountain. The dove is also the symbol of the Holy Spirit, which is spreading all around the world through the 4 continents represented by the most important rivers. The fountain is decorated with lions, dragons, horses, palms and vegetation. The people of Rome are telling a lot of legends about the fountain and the rivality between Bernini and Borromini.
3) The Fountain of the "Aqua Paola" called by the Romans "Er Fontanone" is on the Janiculum Hill. It represents the monumental end of the "Aqua Traiana" rebuilt by the Pope Paul V Borghese. The name "Paola" comes from Pope Paul V. The papal coat of arms is visible on top and is representing the dragon and the eagle, symbols of the Borghese family. Simbols which are also visible on the facade of the St. Peter's Basilica and at the entrance of "Villa Borghese". The materials were taken from the temple of Minerva in the Forum of Nerva.
4) Fountain of Moses, near the Termini station, marks the terminus of the Aqua Felix, acqueduct restored by Pope Sixtus V, who had a huge villa nearby. The peculiarity of the statue of Moses are the horns. Moses with the "horns" is also represented by Michelangelo Buonarroti in the church "San Pietro in Vincoli". The horns are the result of a wrong translation of the Bible from the Jewish to Latin. On the foreground four egyptian lions are coming from the Egyptian temple of Isis near Pantheon.
5) "La Barcaccia" at the Spanish Steps. Bernini and his father made the fountain which reminds a boat that arrived there after the river Tiber overflooded. On the boat there are the symbols of the Barberini family, the sun and the bees. The boat is at a lower level since the acqueduct there has low pressure.
6) Fountain of the Turtles in the Jewish Quarter, the so called "Ghetto". One of the few fountains in Rome commissioned by a private patron and not the Pope. The Mattei family was a catholic family even if they live in the Jewish quarter. The Pope of course gave them the key to the gate after the Pope decided to build a wall around the Ghetto. The fountain represents 4 male figure holding with a hand a dolphin and with the other trying to push turtles on the upper basin. The turtles were added later by the great Baroque artist Bernini. There are four replicas in the United States.
7) Fountain of the Goddness Rome at the Capitoline Hill. The Goddness Rome in the middle was originally the statue of Minerva. At the sides there are the rivers Nile and the river Tiber. Near the river Tiber the symbol of Rome, the shewolf feeding Romolus and Remo. The fountain is in the middle of a staircase that is leading to the Senatorial House, head office of the Major of Rome.
8) Fountain of the "Books" representing the district of Sant'Eustachio. Every district in Rome has its own fountain with its symbol. The fountain of the books is near the historic seat of the University "La Sapienza". The district of Sant'Eustachio takes the name from the church which has on top of the facade the symbol of the martyr Sant'Eustachio, who was a hunter and converted to Catholicism after having seen a cross when he was hunting a deer.
9) Fountain of the Triton in Piazza Barberini. Barberini often means also Bernini and also in this case the sculptor and designer is the protagonist of the fountain. A triton seems to be blowing a shell and the water coming out of this. The papal coat of arms is visible in the middle of the fountain. The nearby fountain of the bees are also decorating the square that takes the name from this important family of the Baroque period.
10) Fountain of the Frogs, located in the Quartiere Coppedè, a district built in Liberty Style. The fountain is a parody of the fountain of the Turtles. In the quarter you can also see the fairytail villa, the Villa of the spiders and a lot more...
