Fontana delle rane, historic building in Monza

The Fontana delle Rane is a bronze and stone fountain in Monza built in 1932 that features a female figure recoiling from a stream of water sprayed by a frog sculpture she holds. The basin is made of marble decorated with colorful tiles and fish motifs, with small fountains shooting water from frog niches positioned around it.

The fountain was erected in 1932, the year Piazza Roma received its final urban layout. The bronze is by the Friulian sculptor Aurelio Mistruzzi. For its artistic merit the fountain is listed among Monza's monuments by the Soprintendenza dei Beni Ambientali e Architettonici.

Locals call the fountain "la sirenetta" (the little mermaid), not after its frogs. A legend ties the frogs to Amira, princess of the frogs, who appeared to Dagoberto, nephew of Theodoric the Great, at the Roggia Pelucca and vanished for good after thanking him for saving a frog from a dried canal.

The fountain is located in Piazza Roma in central Monza and is easily accessible on foot. The best views of the sculptures and water features are from the benches surrounding it, where you can rest and observe the fine details.

The fountain is nicknamed "la sirenetta" by the people of Monza, a reference to the bronze girl at its centre rather than to any mermaid. The sculpture is the work of the Friulian artist Aurelio Mistruzzi, and the fountain is listed among the city's monuments by the Soprintendenza dei Beni Ambientali e Architettonici.