Fountain of Pius IX on Piazza Mastai, Rome

The history of the Fountain of Pius IX on Piazza Mastai is inextricably linked with the history of the square on which it is located. In the 1960s, Pope Pius IX, formerly Count Mastai-Ferretti set the site for a new tobacco factory in the Trastevere area. The choice of location was motivated by the proximity of the river port of Ripa Grande, where a cargo of tobacco came from abroad. The construction of the factory was accompanied by the construction of housing for workers. The open square in front of the factory became the center of the residential and factory complexes. This facilitated the loading and unloading of goods, access to the road. The square was named after the Pope – Piazza Mastai. The architect Andrea Busiri Vici was responsible for the work on the construction of the square and the fountain.

The last restoration was carried out in 1996. During this time, the tracks left by time and vandals were removed, some sections of paving stones damaged by groundwater were replaced. Now there is the opportunity to admire the plates of travertine and basalt, surrounding the fountain.

How to get there

Near the square there is a tram stop Trastevere (Mastai), where tram №8 runs.