Roma - Fontane

Piazza Nicosia
Fontana della Piazza

The first public fountain in modern Rome, designed by Giacomo della Porta, was erected in piazza del Popolo before the other eighteen ordered after the re-activation of the Vergine aqueduct, in 1572. It was frequently moved and finally removed in 1823 when Valadier redesigned the square placing four fountains at the foot of the obelisk, also leaving the municipal storehouses. Halfway through the nineteenth century the fountain was reconstructed in piazza Nicosia but of the original only the large, octagonal marble basin was conserved whilst the baluster and the upper basin are of more recent construction. The four squatting tritons that decorate the Moro fountain in piazza Navona were originally carved for this fountain but, resulting out of proportion in relation to the size of the basin, they were happily placed in their actual position.