Sunday, June 22, 2008

Fonte Acqua Paola



On our way back to Trastevere from the Botanical Gardens the other day, we decided to get a better view of the city by climbing up Via Garibaldi. This is a long, steep road which leads to the enormous Fonte Acqua Paola, a fountain which contains three rapid spouts each spewing water as if a dam has just burst behind the entire structure. The aqueduct which feeds this fountain is called the Aqua Traiana (renamed the Acqua Paola later on). It was built in the 1st century by Trajan.

The fountain used to be called “Il Fontanone”, or the big fountain, and was in the form of a triumphal arch made of white marble. Most of the material came from the Forum of Nerva. It also contains the Borghese coat of arms along with their eagle and dragon.

In 1690, Pope Alexander VIII commissioned Carlo Fontana to remodel the fountain. Fontana then created an enormous single basin which is what we saw last week. A small garden is hidden behind the structure and only a small portion can be seen from the front. The giant fountain is well worth the walk, especially when you turn around and experience the aerial view of the Eternal City spread out before you. Don’t forget your camera!

Information obtained from:

http://www.thais.it/citta_italiane/roma/fontane/piazze/Gianicolo/pag1.htm


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