The Fountain of Neptune ( it, Fontana del Nettuno) is a monumental fountain, located in Municipio square, in
Naples
Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's admini ...
, Italy.
The fountain until the end of 2014 was located across the street of via Medina across from the church of
Santa Maria Incoronata, Naples and a few doors south of the church complex of
Pieta di Turchini. Now the fountain is located in front of the Town hill building, its location changed due to the construction of the new underground station (Municipio Station - Line 1).
History
Its construction dates back to the period of Spanish Viceroyalty of
Enrique de Guzman, Count of Olivares. It was built by
Giovanni Domenico D'Auria using a design by the Swiss architect
Domenico Fontana
Domenico Fontana (154328 June 1607) was an Italian architect of the late Renaissance, born in today's Ticino. He worked primarily in Italy, at Rome and Naples.
Biography
He was born at Melide, a village on the Lake Lugano, at that time joint ...
(born: 1543, Melide, Switzerland), between 1600 and 1601. Also involved in its completion were the sculptor-architects
Michelangelo Naccherino,
Pietro Bernini
Pietro Bernini (6 May 1562 – 29 August 1629) was an Italian sculptor. He was the father of one of the most famous artists of Baroque, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, as well as the sculptor-architect Luigi Bernini.
Biography
Bernini was born in Sesto F ...
, and
Cosimo Fanzago
Cosimo Fanzago (Clusone, 12 October 1591 – Napoli, 13 February 1678) was an Italian architect and sculptor, generally considered the greatest such artist of the Baroque period in Naples, Italy.
Facade Santa Maria della Sapienza.
Biography
Fa ...
.
The fountain originally stood near the Arsenal in the port. In 1629, it was transported to Largo di Palazzo (now
Piazza del Plebiscito
Piazza del Plebiscito (; nap, Chiazza d''o Plebbiscito) is a large public square in central Naples, Italy.
History
Named after the plebiscite taken on October 21, 1860, that brought Naples into the unified Kingdom of Italy under the House of S ...
), near the
Royal Palace of Naples
The Royal Palace of Naples ( it, Palazzo Reale di Napoli, italic=no, nap, Palazzo Riale ‘e Napule) is a palace, museum, and historical tourist destination located in central Naples, southern Italy.
It was one of the four residences near Napl ...
, but since it hindered the festivals held in the plaza there, the fountain was again moved to
Borgo Santa Lucia, near
Castel dell'Ovo
Castel dell'Ovo ("Egg Castle") is a seafront castle in Naples, located on the former island of Megaride, now a peninsula, on the Gulf of Naples in Italy. The castle's name comes from a legend about the Roman poet Virgil, who had a reputation in ...
. There, more statues, these by Fanzago were added. In 1638, it was again moved, this time to Largo delle Corregge, today Via Medina. During the revolt of
Masaniello
Masaniello (, ; an abbreviation of Tommaso Aniello; 29 June 1620 – 16 July 1647) was an Italian fisherman who became leader of the 1647 revolt against the rule of Habsburg Spain in the Kingdom of Naples.
Name and place of birth
Until recen ...
in 1647, the statue was damaged. Further damage occurred during the sacking of Naples in 1672 by the Viceroy
Pedro Antonio de Aragón. In 1675, it underwent restoration and was moved to the Molo Grande.
This migratory fountain has continued to move through Naples: in 1886, it was dismantled, to reappear two years later in the Piazza Plaza della Borsa (now
Plaza Giovanni Bovio), where it stood till 2000, when it was returned to Via Medina to allow for work on the Naples Metro.
Description
The fountain is circular and surrounded by a balustrade. Water flows from four lions who hold shields with the symbols of Medina y de Carafa. Two sea monsters pour water in the central shell, adorned with dolphins and
Tritons that also emit water; this was carved by
Pietro Bernini
Pietro Bernini (6 May 1562 – 29 August 1629) was an Italian sculptor. He was the father of one of the most famous artists of Baroque, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, as well as the sculptor-architect Luigi Bernini.
Biography
Bernini was born in Sesto F ...
. In the center, on a rock, two nymphs and two satyrs hold up a saucer that features a statue of
Neptune
Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun and the farthest known planet in the Solar System. It is the fourth-largest planet in the Solar System by diameter, the third-most-massive planet, and the densest giant planet. It is 17 times ...
with trident; this portion was sculpted by Naccherino.
Chronology of displacements
* 1595–1599: harbour's arsenal
* 1628: Largo di Palazzo (
Piazza Plebiscito)
* 1634:
Borgo Santa Lucia
* 1639: Via Medina
* 1675: Molo Grande
* 1898: Piazza Borsa (
Piazza Giovanni Bovio)
* 2001: Via Medina
* 2015: Piazza Municipio
Bibliography
*G. Alisio, ''Napoli e il Risanamento'', Edizioni Scientifiche Italiane, 1980.
*''Le strade di Napoli'', Vol. 4°, Periodici Locali Newton, 1992.
*Aurelio De Rose, ''Le fontane di Napoli'', Roma,
Newton & Compton, 1994.
References
Neptune, Naples
Sculptures of Neptune
Sculptures of lions
Dolphins in art
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