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Trevi Fountain: The most famous fountain in the world was commissioned by Pope Clement XII (whose coats of arms we see at the top) and designed by Niccolo Salvi. Work started on the fountain in 1732 and dragged on for thirty years later. It was finally finished, in 1762, by which time both the Pope and the designer were dead. In the centre of the fountain, we see Oceanus, God of the sea. He is flanked by two Tritons, each holding the reign of a horse. One horse rears wildly, while the other is placid and obedient. They symbolise the twin natures of the sea, which can veer so quickly between the two states....
Fountain of the Four Rivers: In the centre of the Piazza Navona soars one of Bernini's masterpieces, the Fountain of the Four Rivers. (La Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi). The fountain was commissioned by Pope Innocent X, whose coat of arms is prominently displayed. As a cardinal, Giambattista Pamphilj had moved into a palace on the west side of the square (now the Brazilian Embassy). When the Cardinal became Pope he decided to stamp his papal presence on the piazza by commissioning a fountain to supplement the two already in existence. The latter had been built at the close of the 16th century and stood at either end, leaving the centre of the square empty.....
Fountain of the Naiads: Barely a century old, the Fountain of the Naiads, (la Fontana dei Naidi), is one of Rome's younger fountains. For the last hundred years, it has been the first fountain to greet travellers arriving in the Eternal City by train. Erected as the Mostra Terminale of the Aqua Pia aqueduct, which was completed in 1889, it is one of the largest of the city's fountains and sits in the centre of one of its busiest squares....
Fountain of the Tortoises: In the Piazza Mattei, a stone's throw from the Ghetto, stands one of Rome's most delightful fountains, the Fountain of the Tortoises, (La Fontana delle Tartarughe). The sculptor was a Florentine, Taddeo di Leonardo Landini, who worked under the direction of Giacomo della Porta. Work began, in 1581, and was completed in 1584. The original design did not include tortoises, but probably dolphins. But for some reason, they were never added and so the four youths remained with their hands raised mid-air. The tortoises were added during a restoration, in 1659, possibly by Bernini....
Fountain of the Triton: In the middle of the square of the same name and surrounded by swirling traffic, sits the Fountain of the Trident (La Fontana del Tritone). The fountain was carved and erected by the great Gian Lorenzo Bernini, between 1642 and 1643. The Fountain of the Trident is adorned with Barberini bees, for Bernini was commissioned by Pope Urban VIII, whose family pile, the Palazzo Barberini, sits a short distance away. How different the square in which Bernini's fountain stands, once looked. Today, one has to risk life and limb to reach it, but as we can see in old prints, the piazza once had a distinctly rural feel....
La Barcaccia: La Barcaccia (the Fountain of the Broken Boat), enjoys probably one of the best backdrops of any fountain in Rome sitting, as it does, at the base of the Spanish Steps. The fountain (1626-9) was a joint collaboration between Pietro Bernini and his much more famous son, Gian Lorenzo. The fountain was commissioned by Pope Urban VIII and decorated with the insignia of his family, the Barberini, namely three bees and a blazing sun. The design, which places the sinking boat partly beneath street level, is a very clever response to a technical problem, that of low water pressure in the area....
Aqua Paola: The Aqua Paola, which sits on the hill known as the Gianicolo, enjoys a commanding view of the city. The fountain was built by Pope Paul V (1605-21), who had a burning desire to rival the civic and architectural achievements of a 16th century predecessor, Pope Sixtus V. He altered the plans for the rebuilding of St Peter’s by lengthening the nave and adding the façade, to which he added his own name in the inscription. He also turned his attention to Rome's water supply and built the Aqua Paola....
