Navicella Fountain, Rome

Fountain Navicella is the original fountain in the central part of Rome. It is located at the entrance to the church of Santa Maria in Domnica. From the Italian language "Navicella" translates as "a small boat". This name was given to the fountain due to its composition.

History of the Fontana della Navicella in Rome

The Navicella fountain can easily be attributed to city fountains, whose history is filled with a lot of unusual events. In the 16th century, under the leadership of Pope Leo X Medici, the church of Santa Maria in Domnica was reconstructed. During the construction work, fragments of a small boat were found near the temple. The exact history of the origin of the galleys is unknown, but historians have several assumptions:

• Not far from the place where the Cathedral of Santa Maria in Domnica is now, there were the barracks of Roman sailors. The sailors sought help and protection in their voyages from the goddess Isis, and the boat became one of the gifts of the sailors.
• The second version is similar to the first, but the gift in the form of boats was brought to the goddess Isis by the soldiers from one of the provinces of Italy, who arrived in Rome and lived there for some time in the barracks. With their gift, the sailors thanked the goddess for her salvation during a violent storm

Pope Leo X was concerned about the preservation of the remains of the antique galley and commissioned the Roman architect Andrea Sansovino, who during this period was engaged in the reconstruction project of the cathedral, to create a copy of the boat. The solemn opening of the snow-white galley, made of marble, took place in 1519. The monument was put on a high pedestal at the entrance to the church. The main gem of the composition of the galleys was its nose, which was adorned with the image of a wild boar. On the pedestal, the architect placed the coat of arms of the Medici family, the symbols of the Pope, as well as a memorable inscription.

For a hundred years, the galley was a monument. However, in 1931, from the aqueduct Acqua Felice the water was sourced to this area of ​​Rome and the city's leadership decided to transform the monument into the fountain. The sculpture of the boat was turned parallel to the temple, and around it a small pool was built. The bottom of the pool was decorated with a mosaic depicting fish, as well as boats.

The restoration of the Navicella fountain in Rome was carried out at the beginning of the 21st century, in 2003-2004.

How to get there

The Navicella fountain is on the public transport routes:

• Bus number 81, 628, 671, 673, 714.