15 Most Beautiful Fountains in Rome Italy
Are you looking for a famous fountain in Rome Italy? What about 10? If you’re looking for fountains in Rome photos for inspiration, or you want to find out the number of fountains in Rome, we’ve got the answers. We also got the answer for which is the fountain in Rome where you make a wish or which is the fountain of the four rivers in Rome. Moreover, we are covering details about the Triton fountain in Rome, as well as the baroque fountain in Rome, or even Renaissance fountains Rome. Let’s discover everything about the most famous fountains in Rome Italy!
Looking for a famous fountain in Rome Italy?
Beyond restaurants, museums, churches, and fountains, fountains in Rome are something to explore! If you’re looking for a famous fountain in Rome, you must know that our fountain in Rome crossword is really detailed, and it is not stopping at just one. See some stunning fountains in Rome photos for inspiration! These fountains in Rome images will definitely make you want to visit them all! Discover everything about the Trevi Fountain or the Triton fountain in Rome. Moreover, learn which is the fountain in Roman Holiday or which is the famous fountain of the four rivers in Rome!
Number of fountains in Rome
So if you want to know the number of fountains in Rome, you must know that Rome is as much the city of fountains as it is the city of Catholic churches. This means, that the number of fountains in Rome is over 300. The monumental fountains in Rome are key to Rome’s well-being and they are also one of the biggest attractions in the city. If you are wondering if you can drink from the fountain in Rome, you definitely can. Not from the monumental fountains though, but there are many fountains in Rome specifically for drinking on every few streets.
Baroque fountain in Rome – Renaissance fountains Rome
If you’re looking for a baroque fountain in Rome, I must tell you now, that there are, just on this list more than 5! Also for the Renaissance fountains Rome ha… There are about 5-6 left, of which you will find some in the list below!
1. Fontana delle Naiadi
Are you looking for a famous fountain in Rome Italy? Fontana delle Naiadi is definitely on the list of the most famous fountain in Rome. The famous Fontana delle Naiadi, so the Fountain of Water Nymphs caused big confusion among the Romans at the time. Fontana delle Naiadi is located on Piazza della Reppublica, and each time you have to take a bus to-from Termini train station to Piazza Venezia, you will go around this fountain.
The fountain was made by Alessandro Guerrieri in 1888. Later on, the bronze sculptures of the nymphs were added by Mario Rutelli in 1901, then the Glaucus sculpture in 1912. To understand what you see, the are four nymphs on the side of the fountain, while in the middle is Glaucus, the once mortal fisherman wrestling a fish. If you’re looking for fountains in Rome images for inspiration, make sure to visit the fountain for real!
2. Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi
One of the most beautiful squares in Rome is definitely Piazza Navona. When it comes to a famous fountain in Rome Italy, the amazing fountain of the four rivers in Rome must definitely be mentioned! Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi is a beautiful baroque fountain in Rome, situated right in the middle of the piazza, in front of the Sant’Agnese in Agone church.
After the Trevi Fountain, the Fountain of the Four Rivers is the other most famous fountain in Rome, designed by the amazing artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini. He has many works all around Rome, that you will be able to see in this post. The fountain was commissioned by Pope Innocent X as part of the attempt to transform Piazza Navona into a monument as it is.
We must say, the plan did work out well since Piazza Navona became one of the most important landmarks in Rome. The support of the fountain and the sculptures is an ancient Egyptian obelisk that’s surrounded by four figures representing the four rivers, the Danube, the River Plate, the Ganges, and the Nile.
3. Fontana di Trevi
Are you asking which is the most famous fountain in Rome Italy? Which is the fountain in Roman Holiday, or the La Dolce Vita movies? Where is the fountain in Rome where you make a wish? Or, you’re just simply looking for the most beautiful baroque fountain in Rome? The answer to all those questions is the Trevi Fountain, the most stunning baroque fountain in Rome!
Trevi Fountain itself was built in the 18th century, commissioned by Pope Clement XII in 1730, the location was an important water supply for Rome since 19 BC, and it was called Aqua Virgo. During the 15th century, the Popes, just like Alexander VI concentrated on restoring the water supplies and fountains in the Eternal City, since many of them were destroyed or blocked. In 1453 Leon Battista Alberti helped renovate the ancient fountain since the projects for a complete makeover didn’t happen. Pietro da Cortona and Gian Lorenzo Bernini were supposed to design a new fountain, but this project as we know was doomed.
Finally, the today standing Trevi Fountain, the most beautiful Baroque fountain in Rome was designed and made by Nicola Salvi, who was a great artist of the Baroque era. His design fused the massive classical facade of Palazzo Poli with a romantic fountain’s sculptures, and a fountain that’s 86 feet high and 160 feet wide. Trevi Fountain features the sea-titan Oceanus, seahorses, and tritons cavort around him.
How to make a wish at the Trevi Fountain?
Legend says, if you turn around, with your back to the fountain and you throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain using your right hand over your left shoulder, you will return to Rome. To throw more coins, you should do two, three, or four times the same movement with 1 coin at a time. If you decide to throw two coins in the Trevi fountain, you will fall in love, three you’ll get married, and four is for wealth.
Also, if you want to get a great gelato while wandering around the fountains, or you want to stop by to eat at a restaurant near the Trevi Fountain, don’t forget to check our article!
4. Fontana d’Acqua Paola
This is one of the most beautiful hidden gems in Rome! One of the oldest and biggest fountains in Rome is the Fontana dell’Acqua Paola. Fountain in Rome crossword is that the spectacular fountain is bigger than the Trevi Fountain itself, and it is also more than 100 years older. Fontana dell’Acqua Paola is one of the most stunning fountains in Rome, possibly after the Fountain of the Four Rivers in Rome.
Due to its age and size, Fontana dell’Acqua Paola is also known as Il Fontanone (the biggest fountain). It was commissioned by Pope Paul V in 1612, and it was designed by Giovanni Fontana and Flaminio Ponzio. You can find this imposing large fountain while reaching the top of Gianicolo Hill (Janiculum hill). The location is also great if you’re looking to get some stunning panoramic views over the Eternal City!
If you’ve been searching for the fountain in Rome images for inspiration, I’m sure you’ve found at some point this marvelous 400-year-old masterpiece. An interesting fact about Fontana dell’Acqua Paola is, that most of the marble that they have used in the fountain was taken from the ancient Temple of Minerva on the Forum of Nerva. Also, the pink granite columns that you can see are pieces of the old St Peter’s Basilica. So, the fountain might be just 400 years old, but the material it was built of dates back 2000 years!
5. Berini Fountain on Piazza San Pietro
Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the master of Baroque is definitely one of the most important artists from Rome. When it comes to the most famous fountain in Rome, as you’ve already seen, he made many of them. Another highlight of Baroque fountains in Rome is definitely the Bernini fountain on Piazza San Pietro in Vatican City.
For fifty years the square was decorated with just one fountain, the Maderno fountain. The southern part of the square remained empty until 1667 when Pope Clement X commissioned the fountain by Gian Lorenzo Bernini that had to follow the design of the already standing Maderno fountain. The beautiful Bernini fountain was completed in 1677 and still standing, filling St Peter’s square with magic and light.
6. The Maderno Fountain
It might not be the most famous fountain in Rome Italy, but the Maderno fountain is definitely one of a kind! The ancient Roman aqueduct the Aqua Traiana was restored and renamed Acqua Paola in 1612. Pope Paul V commissioned the new design of the fountain that was made by Carlo Maderno.
The Maderno fountain is located on Piazza San Pietro, right in front of the glorious St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Carlo Maderno designed his fountain in a way that the water pours from the tip, splashing down in sparkling droplets into an octagonal basin. When the sun shines through the water in the afternoon, both on this and the Bernini fountain, it feels like the great spirit is looking at you through the sparkling light.
7. Fontana della Barcaccia
At the foot of the Spanish Steps, you’ll find one of the most famous fountain in Rome Italy, Fontana della Barcaccia. If you’re looking for a fountain in Roman Holiday movie, remember the scene when Audrey Hepburn (Princess Anne) is eating gelato on the Spanish Steps. It’s just a second or two, but you can see the Barcaccia in the movie too.
When it comes to a baroque fountain in Rome, Fontana della Barcaccia is definitely one of the most beautiful baroque fountains in Rome! The name of the fountain means literally little boat. Pope Urban VIII commissioned the fountain that was designed by Pietro Bernini, the father of the famous Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
What you can notice when you’re looking at the fountain is that it looks like a partially sunken boat. This has to do with the devastating flood of Christmas day in 1598. According to the sayings, the floodwaters rose so high from the Tiber river, that they reached the Piazza di Spagna where the floodwater miraculously receded.
Another highlight of Bernini’s amazing work is, that he discovered how to design the fountain to be able to transform an intractable shortcoming into a key feature the fountain. You must know, that the water level in this zone was always really low, so it made it impossible to build a working fountain there before.
8. Fontana di Piazza Farnese
As we’ve mentioned at the beginning for those who wanted to know the number of fountains in Rome, there are hundreds. Now, between these, you can find baroque fountains, and a fountain in Rome where you make a wish, among many others. However, there are some fountains that deserve extra attention, and the Fontane della Piazza Farnese is definitely one of them.
It’s Fontane and not Fontana because there are two absolutely identical decorative fountains, both located on Piazza Farnese in front of the famous Palazzo Farnese in Rome Italy. Both of these were made in the 16th century. Legend says that the granite stone basins of both fountains are coming from the ancient Roman baths of Caracalla, which is near the city center. If you take a close look, you will find the emblems of the Farnese family on the upper part of the fountain. The fountains were commissioned by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, who later became Pope Paul III.
9. Fontana del Pantheon
If you’re looking for another fountain in Roman Holiday, which is also one of the most famous fountain in Rome Italy, the Fontana del Pantheon it is. The fountain was commissioned by Pope Gregory XIII in 1575 and it was made by Giacomo della Porta. The scary-looking dolphins were commissioned and added later on for the request of Pope Clement XI. The ancient Egyptian obelisk was also added to it at this time.
The view on Piazza della Rotonda is complete with the Fontana di Piazza della Rotonda (Fontana del Pantheon) and the Pantheon itself in the background. As you may know, this is the most well-preserved ancient Roman building, that’s about 2000 years old already, still standing, still functioning. The original fountain was commissioned by Marcus Agrippa Roman emperor in 126AD.
10. Fontana delle Tartarughe
Fontana delle Tartarughe is one of my favorite fountains in Rome! It is definitely one of the cutest baroque fountain in Rome, or well, that I’ve seen so far. If you’re looking for charming places in the area of the Fountain of the Four Rivers in Rome, you might want to get lost a bit in the Jewish ghetto, and discover some renaissance fountains Rome has!
Fontana delle Tartarughe is located on a charming little square in Piazza Mattei. The fountain was made by Giacomo della Porta and Taddei Landini in 1585. According to history, the fountain was commissioned to provide water to the Jewish Ghetto, but the duke Mattei got the plan moved to his nearby residence, which resulted in the residents of the quarter waiting another decade for a fountain for them. Our favorite Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1650 added the Baroque elements to the fountain, the cute turtles that are trying to climb into the basin.
11. Fontana di Tritone
Do you want to learn about another baroque fountain in Rome? Triton Fountain in Rome is definitely one of the most famous fountain in Rome Italy, and there’s no wonder why! The Triton Fountain in Rome is on Piazza Barberini, and it’s basically one of the busiest roundabouts in the historic center.
The Triton Fountain in Rome was commissioned by Pope Urban VIII in 1642 and it is another of Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s stunning works. If you’re in the area of Piazza Barberini, make sure to try to cross the street and check the fountain and its amazing details from close!
You’ll see dolphins and shells, the Greek sea and the god of the seas, Triton rising high above the piazza, blowing a conch that sends a foamy column of water into the blue skies. Another reason why the Triton fountain in Rome is so unique is that it was the first attempt of Bernini to design a free-standing city fountain. It is indeed a masterpiece!
12. Fountain in Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere
Are you looking for Renaissance fountains in Rome? One of the few Renaissance fountains is located in the beautiful neighborhood of Trastevere. Fontana di Santa Maria in Trastevere is definitely one of the most famous fountain in Rome Italy. It is located right in front of the church of Santa Maria in Trastevere, on the piazza that wears the same name.
The present work of the fountain is not the original, but it is made exactly as the original was. It’s been rebuilt in the 19th and 20th centuries. Fontana di Santa Maria in Trastevere was commissioned by Giovanni Lopez and it was built between 1499 and 1500 by Donato Bramante, who was also the architect of the St.Peter’s Basilica. He removed the upper vasque of the fountain, adding the emblem of the Lopez family, four carved stone wolf heads.
Later on, the fountain was re-made by Girolamo Rainaldi, the architect of the two churches in Piazza del Popolo in 1604. Later on, our favorite architect, Bernini replaced the octagonal basin and moved the fountain in the front of the church. He also added sculpted seashells around the new basin. Later a few decades later Carlo Fontana replaced Berini’s seashells with his own ones.
13. La Fontana del Moro
We are back on Piazza Navona since the Fountain of the Four Rivers in Rome isn’t the only one on this square. There are actually three fountains on Piazza Navona. One at the middle, the above mentioned Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, then the Fontana del Moro (Moor Fountain) and the Fontana del Nettuno. If you want to know about another famous fountain in Rome Italy, the Moor Fountain is definitely one!
The fountain represents a Moor or an African standing in a conch shell, wrestling with a dolphin and it’s surrounded by four Tritons. Now, the original designer was Giacomo della Porta in 1575. His design included the dolphin and the four Tritons, while Simone Moschini, Giacobbe Silla Longhi, Taddeo Landini, and Gillis van den Vliete made the actual triton sculptures, masks, and dragons after della Porta’s design.
Oh, and you might not be surprised anymore, but the Moor statue was added in 1653 by our favorite Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Today, the original statues can be visited in Galleria Borghese, which is located in Villa Borghese park near Piazza del Popolo.
14. Quattro Fontane
These are some of the first fountains in Rome that I have ever seen on my very first visit to the Eternal City in 2015. The Quattro Fontane ( Four Fountains) are four late Renaissance fountains Rome still has. They are located at the intersection of Via del Quirinale and Via delle Quattro Fontane in Rome.
The fountains were commissioned by Pope Sixtus V, and they were made under the direction of Muzio Mattei between 1588-1593. You can see the four rivers on the four corners of the junction. Two of the fountains feature female figures, of which one is believed to be the Goddess Juno and the other Diana. However, it’s said, that they might also just represent rivers.
The third fountain represents the River Tiber in front of an oak tree. Then, the last fountain is representing the River Aniene, a tributary of the Tiber that was called Anio in ancient Rome. If you’re trying to
15. Fontana delle Api
We just can’t get enough of Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s work, so here’s another beautiful highlight of the baroque fountains in Rome. The Fountain of the Bees, Fontana delle Api was commissioned by Pope Urban VIII and it’s another smaller, but beautiful masterpiece of Bernini that he made in 1644. If you’re looking for a famous fountain in Rome Italy, this one isn’t as famous as the Trevi Fountain or the Fountain of the Four Rivers, but it is indeed remarkable!
Fontana delle Api is located on Via Vittorio Veneto. A shell-shaped beauty that you can’t miss. The fountain is decorated with sculpted aphids, the symbol of the Barberini family. If you’re wondering about the function of the Fontana delle Api, it was designed to collect the returning water from the above-mentioned Triton fountain in Piazza Barberini.
Wrapping up: 15 famous fountain in Rome Italy
Fountain in Rome crossword: We’ve now discussed 15 famous fountains in Rome Italy, and you’ve been able to see some fountain in Rome photos for inspiration. We’ve discussed their history, the origins, the architects, artists, and designers, as well as the people who commissioned them. Moreover, we’ve discussed the number of fountains in Rome, which is the most famous fountain in Rome, and the fountain Roman Holiday! Now you know the fountain in Rome where you make a wish is the Trevi fountain, but you also know that you don’t actually make a wish, but you pick from the wishes.
Also, we’ve shared details about the fountain of the four rivers in Rome on Piazza Navona, the Triton fountain in Rome, and the most beautiful baroque fountains in Rome. If you want to explore more of the Eternal City, make sure to check out the most beautiful squares and the most beautiful streets in Rome too!
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