Fountain of Neptune

The famous Neptune Fountain is located in the northern part of Navona Square. Once it was called "Fountain del Calderari" - this was due to its location near the forge workshops, which produced pots, pans and other metal products.

In the XIX century, due to the development of urban infrastructure, the dependence of residents on fountains, which were previously used for household purposes - drinking and washing, significantly decreased. With the growth of technical progress, the aesthetic role of the city fountains increased, especially after 1870, when an independent Italian state was formed with Rome as the capital. The construction of the Neptune Fountain continued for several decades, as the architects and sculptors who worked on it sought to make their creation correspond to the general style of the square.

In the form in which the fountain exists today, construction was finally completed in 1878 by Antonio della Bitta. The sculptor added a central statue to the sculptural group of the fountain - "Neptune's struggle with the octopus." Other sculptors created other sculptures based on various mythological subjects and depicting Nereids, Cupids and marine animals.