Diana fountain, Fountain in Piazza Archimede, Syracuse, Italy
The Diana Fountain sits in Piazza Archimede and displays the goddess Diana holding her bow, surrounded by four Tritons, two sea horses, and various mythological sea creatures in the water. Built in 1907 from reinforced concrete, it serves as the focal point of this historic square.
The fountain was built in 1907 by architect Giulio Moschetti and represented a shift toward new construction methods using reinforced concrete. It was later integrated into the redesigned Piazza Archimede and has remained central to the city's historic core since then.
The fountain tells a mythological story tied to Syracuse's ancient Greek past, with figures that held meaning for people in this region. Walking around it, you notice how the depicted characters connect to local water sources and the city's identity.
The fountain sits in the center of Piazza Archimede, making it easy to find and access from the surrounding streets. It works well as a landmark for orienting yourself when walking through the historic center and exploring nearby attractions.
The fountain's base features a twelve-pointed star pattern that was deliberately aligned with the overall layout of Piazza Archimede. This geometric detail often goes unnoticed, yet it reveals how carefully Moschetti planned the design.
Location: Syracuse
Architects: Giulio Moschetti
Official opening: 1907
Address: Piazza Archimede
GPS coordinates: 37.06125,15.29385
Latest update: December 6, 2025 17:40
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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