Overview:

St. Peter's Square Fountain In Vatican-City is a fountain located at St. Peter's Square in the Vatican City. It was built in 1612, for Pope Paul V and is considered a masterpiece of Baroque architecture and art. It is a large, circular fountain with a central statue of St. Peter standing atop a globe. The statue is surrounded by four other statues depicting time, earth, air, and water. The fountain is made of travertine and marble, and features intricate carvings and decorations. The fountain adds to the beauty of St. Peter's Square and provides visitors with a stunning and unique background for photographs. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in Vatican-City
Prominent Features:

The most distinguishing feature of St. Peter's Square Fountain in Vatican-City is its two sets of matching Baroque-style fountains designed by Bernini. These fountains feature four sets of marble stone tritons and sea horses which are statues that symbolize the sea god, Neptune. The statues send waters from four stone dolphins into the four large basins of the fountain system. The fountains are set in a cross-shape with the central fountain featuring a plaque with the papal coat of arms. This central fountain is surrounded by four other rectangular-shaped fountains set in the four corners of the square. These fountains are lit up in the evening and provide a beautiful focal point for visitors of the square. This national monument of Vatican-City portrays the history and culture of the country.

History:

The fountain which stands in the middle of St. Peter’s Square in Vatican-City was built in 1612 by Carlo Maderno. The fountain stands 41 feet tall and is built of travertine marble. It is also known as the Fontana dell’Aqua Felice, or ‘Fountain of the Blessed Water.’ This fountain is part of a larger series of fountains installed in the Piazza di Spagna in the early 17th century. The fountain was given its name by Pope Paul V, who had named it after the architect Carlo Maderno. He saw the fountain as a memorial of the opening of the ancient Acqua Felice aqueduct, and a symbol of his triumphant return to Rome after a long exile. The fountain serves as a focal point for the Piazza San Pietro (St. Peter’s Square), one of the most important public spaces in the Catholic world. It is said that Maderno designed the fountain to be a source of “blessed water” for the faithful. The fountain is built on a large stepped platform and is decorated with the papal symbol of an eagle and the arms of Pope Paul V. The fountain was renovated in 1923 by Pope Pius XI, who added a bronze figure of St. Peter at the top of the fountain, surrounded by four bronze angels holding a cross and four flags. The fountain continues to be a central feature of St. Peter’s Square and a symbol of the power and beauty of the Catholic Church. You must visit one of these historical places in Vatican-City on your Vatican-City tour

Interesting facts:

1. The fountain was designed to mark the end of the Jubilee, a papal holiday celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church every 25 years. 2. It is the largest fountain in the world, with a diameter of 85 meters and a depth of 20 meters. This makes it bigger than all other fountains in Rome combined. 3. The fountain was designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, a major artist and architect of the 17th century, and took nine years to complete. 4. As part of the Jubilee, coins from around the world were dropped into the fountain as a charitable gesture in support of the poor. 5. Every spring, the fountain is turned off and cleaned, using a high water pressure system, to ensure it remains in perfect condition. 6. The fountain features four large statues of four rivers — the Nile, Euphrates, Tiber and Ganges—symbolising the wealth of different cultures and faiths from around the world. 7. The St. Peter’s Square Fountain is the only one in the world known to move with the sun, thanks to an underground system of air jets. 8. The fountain also features two other smaller fountains, which represent the baptisms of St. Peter and St. Paul. Visit one of the famous monuments of Vatican-City with your friends and family.