Fontana della Barcaccia, Baroque fountain at Piazza di Spagna, Italy.
The Fontana della Barcaccia is a fountain at the base of the Spanish Steps in Rome, shaped from pale travertine stone. The work shows a partly submerged boat from which seven springs flow into a shallow basin.
Pietro Bernini created the fountain between 1627 and 1629 under commission from Pope Urban VIII, who had several fountains installed across the city. The design draws on the ancient Acqua Vergine aqueduct, which has carried water to this area since Roman times.
The name Barcaccia refers to a low-sided river boat used in ancient Rome to carry wine barrels, a shape echoed by the fountain's low flanks. Two carved sun faces with human features spout water inside the boat, while four outer spouts resemble cannon mouths. Papal coats of arms with the Barberini bees sit at the boat's outer ends.
The fountain sits in an oval basin sunk slightly below the street, so the low sides of the boat and the water spilling over them can be seen from close range. The square is crowded with tourists, and the fountain is often roped off during restoration work.
The name Barcaccia recalls a barge model used for wine deliveries on the Tiber River. The sunken design was a solution to the low pressure of the aqueduct supplying this area.
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