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 fountain's gentle water sounds inspired English poet John Keats during his final days, leading him to choose the epitaph 'Here lies one whose name was writ in water'.
The fountain sits below street level, so you can see the water jets from close range. Both ends of the boat feature spouts through which fresh water flows.
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.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
