Roma - Fontane

Viale della Trinita dei Monti
Fontana della Palla di Cannone

The Cannonball Fountain in viale della Trinita dei Monti. This fountain is simple but decidedly elegant due to the perfection of its proportions and the small fountain placed at the edge of the square facing the majestic Villa Medici. Annibale Lippi built it in 1589 for Cardinal Ferdinando Medici. Legend tells that Cristina of Sweden hurled the white, marble sphere at the centre of the circular, granite cup from which a jet of water spurts, against the door of the villa Medici. Arriving in Rome in 1655 for a visit, this learned and audacious woman remained for here for the last 34 years of her life. This ancient fountain holds an octagonal basin in the centre of which is a solid pillar supporting a beautiful circular shell with rounded edges with the “cannonball” in the middle.