The Fontana del Pianto, also known as the Fontana di piazza delle Cinque Scole, is a monumental

fountain A fountain, from the Latin "fons" (genitive "fontis"), meaning source or Spring (hydrology), spring, is a decorative reservoir used for discharging water. It is also a structure that jets water into the air for a decorative or dramatic effect. ...

located in the

Piazza delle Cinque Scole A town square (or square, plaza, public square, city square, urban square, or ''piazza'') is an open public space, commonly found in the heart of a traditional town but not necessarily a true geometric square, used for community gatherings. ...

in the rione of

Regola Regola is the 7th ''rione'' of Rome, Italy, identified by the initials R. VII, and belongs to the Municipio I. The name comes from ''Arenula'' (the name is recognizable in the modern ''Via Arenula''), which was the name of the soft sand (''rena'' ...

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

Name

The fountain presently takes its name from the church of Santa Maria del Pianto, whose southern entrance is located a few yards north. The fountain was moved here in 1930 under

Pope Pius XI Pope Pius XI ( it, Pio XI), born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti (; 31 May 1857 – 10 February 1939), was head of the Catholic Church from 6 February 1922 to his death in February 1939. He was the first sovereign of Vatican City fro ...

, from its prior location inside the former

Roman Ghetto The Roman Ghetto or Ghetto of Rome ( it, Ghetto di Roma) was a Jewish ghettos in Europe, Jewish ghetto established in 1555 in the Sant'Angelo (rione of Rome), Rione Sant'Angelo, in Rome, Italy, in the area surrounded by present-day Via del Portic ...

. It was located a few more yards north, near the northern entrance to the church of Santa Maria del Pianto.

Design

The design of the marble fountain was commissioned by

Pope Gregory XIII Pope Gregory XIII ( la, Gregorius XIII; it, Gregorio XIII; 7 January 1502 – 10 April 1585), born Ugo Boncompagni, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 May 1572 to his death in April 1585. He is best known for ...

and is attributed to

Giacomo della Porta Giacomo della Porta (1532–1602) was an Italian architect and sculptor, who worked on many important buildings in Rome, including St. Peter's Basilica. He was born at Porlezza, Lombardy and died in Rome. Biography Giacomo Della Porta was b ...

, and completed by Pietro Gucci circa 1591–1593.Roman Fountains: 2000 Fountains in Rome : a Complete Collection
by Marvin Pulvers; L'Erma di Bretschneider (2002): page 305. It consists of a superior and lower basins with mascarons as spouts. The prior location, where the Via Santa Maria del Pianto becomes Via del Portico d'Ottavia, is marked in the street with white bricks. The fountain shares features, such as mascarons and simple basins with another of Della Porta's fountains: the

Fontana di Piazza d'Aracoeli The fountain in the Piazza d'Aracoeli is a fountain in Rome (Italy), located at the base of the Capitoline Hill, in the little square with the same name. Description It is one of the first and simplest of Renaissance fountains that would embelli ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pianto

Pianto In music, the ''pianto'' (en:crying) is the motif of a descending minor second, has represented laments and been associated textually with weeping, sighing (called the Mannheim sigh by Hugo Riemann); or pain, grief, etc.; since the 16th century.M ...

Rome R. VII Regola Buildings and structures completed in the 16th century Renaissance architecture in Rome