Fountain at Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere, Rome
There is one very old fountain on the Piazza of the Trastevere quarter in Rome, on the western bank of the Tiber River. It is located in front of the main entrance to the ancient Santa Maria in Trastevere. Presumably, the first version of the fountain arose in the very distant 8th century. This allows us to consider it to be the oldest in Rome. The current fountain on the Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere (Fontana di S. Maria in Trastevere) dates back to the 15th century, and was recreated by the great sculptor Bernini. After this, there were many reconstructions, the last of which took place in the 30s of the 20th century.
The upper part of the fountain is made in the form of a bowl. From it water flows through the mouths of stone wolf heads into the large octagonal bowl. On the sides, the fountain is decorated with exquisite baroque elements created by Bernini, and by stairs.
How to get there
Fontana di S. Maria in Trastevere is located in a crowded place, right at the entrance to the central attraction of the area – Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere. You can get there by metro to S. Pietro or Circo Massimo stations, by tram № 8, on one of the buses № H, 23, 780.
While you are in one of the oldest areas of Rome, do not go past other places that are worth seeing. Among them there is the Basilica San Crisogono, founded in the 12th century, Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, Palazzo Corsini, Villa Farnesina and others.
