Roma - Fontane

Piazza del Popolo
Fontana dell' Obelisco

The first fountain, built by Giacomo Della Porta and commissioned by Pope Gregory XIII Boncompagni, was judged by Leone XII Della Genga to be, even if beautiful, inadequate for the size of the square and he entrusted the refurbishing to Giuseppe Valadier, a leader in Roman classicism. Four white marble lions were placed around the obelisk, Egyptian style, with water falling like a fan into round travertine basins placed on a square base with five steps. Valadier also designed another two fountains to complete the lateral hemicycles.