Fontana della Pigna, Bronze sculpture in Cortile del Belvedere, Vatican City.
The Fontana della Pigna is a monumental bronze pine cone standing four meters tall within a grand niche carved into the courtyard wall. Two large bronze peacocks flank the cone on either side, completing the fountain's composition.
The bronze work originally stood near the Pantheon and Temple of Isis in Rome before being moved to Old Saint Peter's Basilica during medieval times. It arrived at its present location in 1608 when it was incorporated into the Vatican complex.
The fountain features two bronze peacocks on each side, reproducing ornaments that once adorned Emperor Hadrian's mausoleum. These birds connect the work to Rome's ancient past and reflect how classical symbols were preserved through the centuries.
The work is accessible through the Vatican Museums at the conclusion of the Museo Pio Clementino collection. Visiting during daylight hours works best, as natural light highlights the details of the bronze sculpture most effectively.
Poet Dante Alighieri referenced the size of this bronze cone in the Divine Comedy when describing the head of the giant Nimrod. This made the sculpture a literary reference point in one of the world's greatest literary works.
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