Fountain of Neptune | |
|---|---|
| Fountain | |
 Fountain of Neptune, Rome | |
| Design | Giacomo Della Porta |
| Location | Piazza Navona,Rome,Italy |
 Interactive map of Fountain of Neptune | |
| Coordinates:41°53′59.35″N12°28′22.95″E / 41.8998194°N 12.4730417°E /41.8998194; 12.4730417 | |
TheFountain of Neptune (Italian:Fontana del Nettuno) is a fountain inRome,Italy, located at the north end of thePiazza Navona.[1]
It was once called "Fontana dei Calderari" because it was located close to a small alley with blacksmith's workshops, makers of pots and pans and of other metal based businesses, all of them generating heat.
The restoration of the RomanAqua Virgoaqueduct in 1570 was immediately followed by the start of work on a continuation water supply pipe towards the district of the oldCampo Marzio, which following the diminution of the city's size and importance was left as the most densely populated part of the city. Restoration of a piped water supply in turn permitted the construction of several public fountains. The basin of theFontana del Nettuno, (without the sculptures), was designed in 1574 byGiacomo Della Porta, who was also responsible for theMoor Fountain at the other side of the square. It was sponsored by popeGregory XIII. The lower part of the basin consists of white marble and the upper part of the local stone fromPietrasanta. For the next 300 years, the fountain survived without statues.
Nineteenth-century infrastructure developments reduced dependence on urban fountains for drinking and washing purposes but increased their visual and political importance, especially following thecreation of theItalian state with Rome as its capital after 1870. The fountain as it exists today was finally completed in 1878 by Antonio della Bitta, who added the sculpture ofNeptune fighting with an octopus, andGregorio Zappalà, who created the other sculptures, based on the mythological theme of the "Nereids withCupids and walruses".[2] This statuary was added following a competition in 1873, in order to balance that of theMoor Fountain on the south side of the piazza and of theFontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers) at its centre.
Media related toFontana del Nettuno (Navona) at Wikimedia Commons
| Preceded by Fontana della Navicella, Rome | Landmarks of Rome Fountain of Neptune, Rome | Succeeded by Fontana del Nettuno, Piazza del Popolo |
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