Fontana del Moro.Rome.Italy

Fontana del Moro is located in the Piazza Navona in Rome, Italy. The piazza was built on the site of the Stadium of Domitian, built in 1st century... more

by Jennie Breeze

Title

Fontana del Moro.Rome.Italy

Artist

Jennie Breeze

Medium

Photograph - Original Img_5583 Bw

Description

Fontana del Moro is located in the Piazza Navona in Rome, Italy. The piazza was built on the site of the Stadium of Domitian, built in 1st century AD, and follows the form of the open space of the stadium. The ancient Romans went there to watch the agones ("games"), and hence it was known as "Circus Agonalis" ("competition arena"). At the southern end is the Fontana del Moro with a basin and four Tritons sculpted by Giacomo della Porta (1575) to which, in 1673, Bernini added a statue of a Moor, or African, wrestling with a dolphin. It was built in 1574 built by Giacomo Della Porta during the reign of the Pope Gregorio XIII Boncompagni. In the year 1653 it was renovated by Bernini. The central figure is a Triton or Neptune taming a dolphin. Fontana del Moro is one of the most ancient fountains of the Renaissance period. The fountain was renovated again in 1874 and the original statues were moved to the Borghese gallery and replaced with the copies you see today. During the month of September 2011 a vandal attacked this fountain with a hammer. The Italian authorities had everything fixed shortly after.

Uploaded

June 12th, 2016