Fontana del Nettuno
بولونيا
Muscular and proud, the bronze Neptune has watched over Bologna for more than four centuries. A work by Giambologna, this monumental fountain is one of the city's best-loved symbols and a masterpiece of Mannerism. Your treasure map leads you to the feet of "il Gigante" (the Giant), where water and bronze tell the story of papal power.
History
The Fontana del Nettuno was made between 1563 and 1566 at the wish of the papal vice-legate Pier Donato Cesi, as part of a programme to embellish the city centre promoted by Pope Pius IV. The bronze statue of the sea god is the work of the Flemish sculptor Jean de Boulogne, known in Italy as Giambologna, while the marble architectural setting was designed by Tommaso Laureti.
What to see
In the middle rises the mighty figure of Neptune, over three metres tall, trident in hand and arm stretched out in a gesture of command: a symbolic reference to papal rule over the city, just as the god rules the waters.
At the base of the basin four putti hold dolphins, while at the corners four sirens spout water. The square around the fountain takes its name from Neptune himself.
Curiosities
The people of Bologna fondly call the statue "il Gigante" (the Giant). The fountain is so iconic that its trident inspired the logo of a famous car maker. Between 2016 and 2017 the monument underwent a careful restoration that brought its bronze surfaces back to light.
Visiting
The fountain stands in Piazza del Nettuno, next to Piazza Maggiore, and can be seen freely at any hour. It is one of the busiest meeting points in Bologna's historic centre.
