Page 4 - Italian-American Herald - July 2023

4 ITALIANAMERICANHERALD.COM | JULY2023 ITALIAN-AMERICANHERALD HISTORY
AviewofsomeofthebeautifulsculpturesandfountainstobefoundattheRoyalPalaceofCaserta. ADOBESTOCK.COM
Fountains: Fixtures found throughout Italy have their own history to tell
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and Health. Oceanus is situated in the center of the design, standing underneath the arch superimposed on the facade. He is on a chariot that is being pulled by Greek mythological sea horses. Abundance is located to Oceanus’s left. She is a life-size female figure holding a horn with a toppled amphora at her feet. On the other side of
the arch is the female figure of Health with
a wreath crown on her head. Over these figures is a relief illustrating the history of the Roman aqueducts. Water is supplied to the fountain from the still-working virgin water aqueduct which carries the water to the Trevi fountain, after having collected it from water springs approximately six miles outside the city center.
Its beauty draws an average of over 1,000 visitors per hour, so it is a rare treat to see and experience it during quieter times. Legend has it that if you throw a coin in the fountain, with your right hand over your left shoulder, it will ensure your return to the eternal city.
It is estimated that over 3,000 Euro an hour is thrown in the fountain and all money collected daily is used for city charities. It is also illegal to remove that money from the fountain.
Another well-known fountain in Rome is Fontana della Barcaccia, situated at the
bottom of the Spanish Steps. The fountain is shaped as a half-sunken ship with water overflowing its sides into a small basin. The water source also comes from the Acqua Vergine. On a really hot day it is a great place to cool off and there is also a drinking fountain here to taste some fresh water or to fill up your reusable bottles. Also, not
to be missed are the three fountains in
Piazza Navona, Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers), Fontana del Moro (Fountain of the Moor) and Fontana del Nettuno (Fountain of Neptune).
During my years visiting and then working in Rome I became fascinated with the drinking fountains I discovered while walking around the city. Some are drinking fountains which Romans fondly call “nasoni” (big noses) for their cylindrical form. They can be found in many squares and streets of the city. Others, which date to the 1920s and ’30s, are set against travertine foundations with decorative heads spouting water. These are often constructed with the shape of a mythical figure and others are referred to as “della Lupa Imperiale” (of the Imperial She- wolf) since the water comes out from a brass, she-wolf’s head. The nozzles of the “nasoni” have small holes in the upper section which you can drink from when plugging the main water outlet. In the historic center are over 200 nasoni and about 90 fountains and
“Nasoni” and mythological “head” fountains in Rome. | ADOBESTOCK.COM