Four Rivers Fountain
Four Rivers Fountain, Baroque fountain in Piazza Navona, Rome, Italy
The Four Rivers Fountain displays four marble statues representing the Nile, Ganges, Danube, and Rio de la Plata, supporting a central Egyptian obelisk.
Commissioned by Pope Innocent X and completed in 1651, Gian Lorenzo Bernini designed this fountain during a period of significant urban development in Rome.
Each river statue incorporates specific elements reflecting their geographical origins, with the Nile's head covered to represent its unknown source at that time.
The fountain remains an active water feature, providing a central meeting point in Piazza Navona and offering relief from summer heat.
Seven different animals, including a horse, sea monster, serpent, dolphin, crocodile, lion, and dragon, appear throughout the fountain's detailed carvings.
Location: Rome
Inception: 1640s
Architects: Gian Lorenzo Bernini
Creator: Gian Lorenzo Bernini
Architectural style: baroque architecture
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
Made from material: Carrara marble
Creator: Gian Lorenzo Bernini
GPS coordinates: 41.89895,12.47307
Latest update: June 14, 2025 08:03
Italian historic fountains demonstrate five centuries of craftsmanship in sculpture, hydraulic engineering, and urban design. From the 15th to the 19th century, Italian artisans shaped marble, bronze, and stone to create works combining practicality and artistic expression. These fountains tell stories from classical mythology, such as Neptune and marine deities, or from the Bible, like Moses drawing water from the rock. They also celebrate the political power of great families and the identity of Italian cities. In Rome, the Trevi Fountain extends 86 feet (26 meters) high with baroque sculptures, while Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers symbolizes continents on Piazza Navona. In Florence, Neptune sits above the Piazza della Signoria, recalling the Medici family's maritime ambitions. The gardens of Villa d'Este in Tivoli feature 51 fountains spread across multiple terraces, showcasing Renaissance hydraulic mastery. These works reveal how water has shaped Italy’s architecture and urban life, from papal Rome to squares in Palermo and Siena.
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