Roma - Fontane

Piazza della Repubblica
Fontana delle Naiadi

This is the most beautiful of all the modern Roman fountains. Built in 1888 following the designs of Alessandro Guerrieri who placed four chalk lions around the large circular basin. These were then replaced in 1901 by four bronze groups by the sculptor Mario Rutelli which represented the Lake Nymph with the swan, the River Nymph riding a river monster, the Ocean Nymph, known as "Oceana", on a wild horse which symbolises the breakers, and the Underwater Nymph, lying on the back of a dragon. In the centre is the "Glauco" group, carved by the same Rutelli and added in 1912 substituting another sculpture, and representing the dominion of man over the forces of nature. It was moved to the gardens in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele because it did not please its purchasers.