Rome is a city of fountains. Around every corner there seems to be a magnificent monument to the sacred qualities of water. Apparently, Rome has fifty monumental fountains and hundreds of smaller fountains - over 2000 fountains in all - more than any other city in the world!
In classical antiquity Rome was known as the Regina Aquarum (Queen of Water), on account of the enormous amount of fresh water its engineers channelled into the Eternal City through a complex of 11 aqueducts. The water largely fed the city’s huge number of public baths and fountains
While visiting Rome recently I decided to go on a pilgrimage to visit some of these fountains and explore their significance...
Trevi Fountain is considered the most beautiful fountain in Rome. Measuring some 20 meters in width by 26 meters in height, Trevi Fountain is also the largest fountain in the city. “Trevi” is a mashup of the Italian words “tre,” meaning “three” and “vie,” meaning “roads,” because the fountain was constructed at the intersection of Rome’s then three most important thoroughfares.
Lying at the bottom of the fountain are numerous coins. An estimated 3,500 euros fly into the Trevi each day (approximately 1,250,000 euros annually)
According to cultural legend:
• If you throw one coin: you will return to Rome.
• If you throw two coins: you will fall in love with an attractive Italian.
• If you throw three coins: you will marry the person that you met.
In order to achieve the desired effect, you should throw the coin with your right hand over your left shoulder.
While the tradition of throwing coins in this fountain began centuries ago, archaeological evidence and Vedic texts suggest that ancient Indian civilizations began the tradition as far back as 600 BCE. It seems there is an inherent human belief in the power of making a wish in exchange for a coin at water sources all over the world.
These days the coins are collected and given to the Rome division of the worldwide Catholic charity Caritas, which uses them to fund a food bank, soup kitchen and various other welfare projects.
Now, the artistic focal point of the fountain is the statue of Oceanus, the son of Uranus and Gaia, by the Roman sculptor Pietro Bracci (1700-73). Oceanus, a Titan, is the great river which encircles the entire world. He stands on a shell-shaped chariot, which is being drawn by two sea-horses illustrating the theme of the taming of the waters.
Oceanus is flanked by allegorical statues of Abundance and Health, the work of the Florentine sculptor Filippo della Valle (1698-1768)
Fontana del Pantheon
Just 600m to the west you'll find one of the most mysterious buildings of antiquity - The Pantheon. In the middle of the roof is a gaping hole, which provides a source of light in the Roman temple. The hole also represents the connection between the Pantheon and the gods, and may also have astronomical relevance.
The fountain in front of the Pantheon is a beautiful baroque work of art topped by a genuine Egyptian obelisk that is more than three thousand years old. The obelisk, created during the period of Ramses II, is set in the centre on a plinth with four dolphins decorating the base.
Originally from the Temple of Ra in Heliopolis, It is one of the 13 obelisks in Rome (8 genuine Egyptian & 5 ancient Roman). In Egyptian mythology, the obelisk symbolized the sun god Ra, and during the religious reformation of Akhenaten it was said to have been a petrified ray of the Aten, the sundisk. The pyramid top-stone on the obelisk is related to the mythical Benben - a mound that arose from the primordial waters Nu upon which the creator god Atum settled in the Heliopolitan creation myth form of Ancient Egyptian religion. The Benben stone (also known as a pyramidion) is also the top stone of the Egyptian pyramid.
FONTANA DEI QATTRO FIUMI
A further 400m to the west you'll find the Fountain of The Four Rivers.
The Four colossal figures seated in contrasting poses represent the four great rivers: the Nile, the Ganges, the Rio de la Plata and the Danube. On top of the fountain rises a bronze dove, symbol of the Holy Spirit and emblem of Pope Innocenzo X patron of the work. In the middle of the fountain there’s a copy of an Egyptian obelisk that was originally commissioned by Domitian.
The the head of the sculpture representing the Nile river is covered with a veil since the sources of the river were unknown. On the left there’s a palm tree and you can clearly spot the head of lion drinking from the fountain.
The Ganges is holding an oar to symbolize the navigability of the river.
The Danube can be recognized from the crown of flowers and from the horse rising from the stone.
Meanwhile, the Rio del la Plata shows a terrified expression. Some says that the expression is caused by the snake laying on a rock, cherishing a treasure of coins.
Considering the sacredness of each of these rivers, perhaps this fountain contains the combined power of all four rivers?
FONTANA DEL NETTUNO
Just to the north of the Fountain of four rivers is the Fountain of Neptune. This fountain shows Neptune, god of the ocean, fighting with a sea monster as it wraps its tentacles around his legs.
This piece coveys that feeling of being wrapped up by something menacing, trying its best to not only entangle us but to consume us and suck us down to the depths of the sea. It might as well be a statue of any one of us…who are working frantically and desperately to fend off the current craziness consuming the world.
The depiction of Neptune & the sea monster are surrounded by Nereids, sea goddesses.
The Nereids symbolize everything that is beautiful and kind about the sea. Their presence suggests that grace will prevail...
But how does one draw in the good fortune of grace?
These sea goddesses are also believed to reveal the mysteries of Dionysus & Persephone, so perhaps there may be a lesson here about death/rebirth and transformation of oneself...
Just to south you'll find the fountain of the Moro (Moor) which is also fed by the Virgin Aqueduct built by Agrippa in 19 B.C. This fountain depicts a Moor (the name given to the North African Muslim), standing in a conch shell, grappling a dolphin, surrounded by four Tritons.
A Triton Is a god of the sea, son of Poseidon and Amphitrite, portrayed as having the head and trunk of a man and the tail of a fish ("merman"), and holding a trumpet made from a conch shell which he blows like a trumpet to calm or raise the waves. Tritons are a race of sea gods and goddesses born from Triton who are considered sea messengers.
Apparently this fountain is supposed to represent the triumph of Christianity over the Moorish invasion. To me, though, I see a person playing with with a dolphin, symbolising the harmony of humans & nature. This is a wonderful ideal to uphold. It represents the ultimate union. When we work together with nature amazing outcomes can be achieved.
The tritons are depicted in dynamic poses, as if they are engaged in a lively water dance. Their animated gestures evoke the idea of water in constant motion, adding to the fountain’s sense of vitality.
FONTANA DELLE NAIADI
The fountain of the Naiads is located in the Piazza della Republicca. It shows four naked Naiads (water spirits) : the Nymph of the Oceans on a sea horse, the Nymph of the Rivers on a water snake, the Nymph of the Lakes on a swan, the Nymph of the underground rivers on a lizard. In the middle stands Glaucus, a mythical figure from a piece of ancient Greek literature called Metamorphoses.
Glaucus began his life as a mortal fisherman but found a magical herb which could bring the fish he caught back to life, and decided to try eating it. The herb made him immortal, but also caused him to grow fins instead of arms and a fish's tail instead of legs, forcing him to dwell forever in the sea. Glaucus was initially upset by this side-effect, but Oceanus and Tethys received him well and he was quickly accepted among the deities of the sea, learning from them the art of prophecy.
It was believed that he came to the rescue of sailors and fishermen in storms. He once had an encounter with the Argonauts who were caught in a storm, Orpheus addressed the Cabeiroi with prayer; the wind ceased, and Glaucus appeared. He followed the Argo for two days and prophesied to Heracles and the Dioscuri their future adventures and eventual deification. He addressed other members of the crew individually as well, especially noting that he was sent to them thanks to Orpheus's prayer, and instructing them to further pray to the Cabeiroi.
FOUNTAIN OF MOSES
Four hundred metres up the road from Piazza della Republicca you find the Fountain of Moses.
Built in 1586. It is a monumental fountain which has three equal arches on the bottom level with a huge flat inscription above and a papal coat of arms at the top. Inside the arches are depictions of the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt. The left arch shows Aaron leading the gathering of manna to provide food for the Jews during their journey.
The central arch has a large statue of Moses making water spring from a rock, sculpted by Leonardo Sormani and Prospero Antichi, and the right arch shows Joshua selecting the soldiers for the battle of Rephidim against the Amalekites. Beneath each of these is a fountain spewing water into large pools at the base of the fountain.
This fountain is a celebration of divine grace which is always there to help us when we surrender our own personal will to the divine.
FONTANA DEI DIOSCURI
Further down the road from Fountain of Moses you'll find the Fountain of the Dioscuri, standing outside the Palazzo del Quirinale, the official residence of the President of the Italian Republic.
Standing to either side of another soaring copy of an ancient Egyptian obelisk,
two muscular and naked young men stand tall and proud, each holding a horse dramatically rearing up on its hind legs by the bridle.
These are the mythical twin half-brothers Castor and Pollux, collectively known in Greek and Roman mythology as the Dioscuri. Castor, a mortal, was born to Leda and Tyndareus, the king of Sparta, parents also to the legendarily beautiful Helen of Troy. The Spartan couple were to endure a rocky home life, however: the beautiful Leda proved irresistible to the irrepressibly horny god Zeus, who descended from Mount Olympus in the guise of a swan to seduce her (pictured below in a drawing by Michelangelo). The product of their bizarre coupling was the divine Pollux, born simultaneously with Castor in a rare act of heteropaternal superfecundation via, according to some ancient sources, the means of a giant egg.
As his mortal brother lay dying after a botched cattle raid many years later, Pollux bestowed upon Castor half of his divinity, ensuring that the heretofore inseparable twins could remain together for all eternity, spending half their time in Hades (land of the dead) and half on Mt. Olympus (home of the gods).
Famed as excellent horsemen and boxers , Castor and Pollux are almost always depicted in the company of their mounts.
As you can see, each one of these fountains is rich in mysterious symbolism & mythology. Considering mythology has the power to be transformative in our lives depending on our level of initiation & what is happening in our lives at that point, each of these fountains has the potential to hold a special significance in our lives.
And considering, too, the tradition of tossing coins into water & making a wish, there is added potential of these fountains playing a very special role in your journey.
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