Despite its many ancient wonders and unique tourist attractions, no one could imagine Rome without its magnificent fountains. Ever since the time of the Roman Empire, water has been plentiful in Rome, only now it gushes out from 280 artistic masterpieces, each with its own artistic value. It wasn’t easy but we’ve managed to select the six most beautiful fountains in Rome:

Fontana del Moro

Photo by rafaelji

One of the three fountains in Rome’s Piazza navona, the Fontana del Moro was built in 1575, following the design of Giacomo della Porta. The basin of the fountain was made out of antique rose marble and featured the statues of tritons.

Photo by scalleja

In 1654, Gianlorenzo Beninini was asked to improve the appearance of the fountain designed by Giacomo della Porta, so he added the center statue of a triton standing on a conch. Because of the statue’s facial features, it was called “il Moro” (the Moor) and eventually the name described the entire fountain.

Fontana delle Naiadi

Photo by climens

Commissioned by Pope Pius IX, in 1870, and completed in 1888, the Fontana delle Naiadi is considered the most beautiful of all modern fountains in Rome. The original fountain featured four chalk lions that were later replaced with bronze statues of the naiads.

Photo by 30208099@N00

The four naiads, located around the large circular basin of Rome’s Fontana delle Naiadi, are the Nymph of the Lakes (holding a swan), the Nymph of the Rivers (riding a river monster), the Nymph of the Oceans (riding a horse) and the Nymph of the Underground Waters (lying on the back of a dragon).

Fontana del Pantheon

Photo by andyhay

Located in Piazza della Rotonda, in front of the famous Roman Pantheon, the Fontana del Pantheon was originally designed by Giacomo della Porta, in 1575m and sculpted out of marble. The composition featured a multi-linear shell constructed on three travertine steps.

Photo by basl

In 1711, Pope Clement XI charged Filippo Barignoni to come up with a new design that contained a new basin, made of stone, and the obelisk of Ramses. The base plinth of the center piece is decorated with four dolphins, carved by Luigi Amici.

Fontana del Nettuno

Photo by gabdurakhmanov

Depicting the god Neptune fighting an octopus, surrounded by Nereids and seahorses, the Fontana del Nettuno stands on the north side of Piazza Navona, Rome. It dates back to 1576, but extra details were added in 1878, to adorn a rather plain fountain built by Giacomo della Porta.

Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi

Photo by aschaf

Recognized as one of the most beautiful fountains in the world, the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi is the masterpiece of Italian designer, Gianlorenzo Bernini, and an emblematic example of Baroque art. The four marble statues at the base of the great obelisk represent four major rivers of our world (Ganges, Nile, Danube and Plate), which in turn represent the four continents.

Photo by Enth’ust’eac

Just like two other incredible works of art on our list, the Fontana dei Quatro Fiumi is positioned in the center of Piazza Navona, built on the site of the old Stadium of Domitian, this area is one of the major tourist attractions of the city, and thus surrounded by dozens of Rome hotels.

Fontana di Trevi

Photo by Bodow

One of the major architectural symbols of Rome, the Fontana di Trevi is considered by most to be the most beautiful fountain in the world. 26 meters in height and 20 meters in width, this Baroque masterpiece of Nicola Salvi simply dominates Rome’s Piazza Poli.

Photo by Ludmi?a Pilecka

Featuring breathtaking sculptures, executed by some of the finest artists in Italian history, the Fontana di Trevi has to be seen first hand, in order to be fully appreciated. Salvi’s fountain is also famous for the legend which states that anyone who throws in a coin, is guaranteed a return to Rome. Around 3,000 euro are thrown into the Fontana di Trevi, every single day.

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