Barcaccia Fountain
The Barcaccia Fountain is a unique and beautiful work of art that embodies the history of Rome and is located on the territory of the Spanish Square. Its construction took place between 1627 and 1629. The creator of the composition was the Italian architect Pietro Bernini and his son. The history of this Barcaccia fountain is extremely interesting and closely intertwined with real events.
History of the Barcaccia Fountain
In 1598, a flood occurred in Rome, due to the fact that the water level in the Tiber River rose by more than 20 meters. As a result, the entire historical part of medieval Rome was flooded. Many buildings received considerable damage as a result of the impact of the water element.
When the water level returned to its previous level, the townspeople noticed a fishing boat that had landed on the paving stones on the Spanish square. Two quarter of a century later, by order of Pope Urban VIII, as part of the restoration of the city's infrastructure (in particular, the Aqua Virgo aqueduct), it was decided to erect a monument in the form of a fountain-boat on the square, which would immortalize the formidable natural disaster that befell Rome at the end of the 16th century. .
Description
The main material for the creation of the Barcaccia fountain was white marble. It looks extremely aesthetic, thanks to the design in the early baroque style. The monument is made in the form of a half-submerged longboat, similar to the one found in the Roman square after the flood of 1598. Upon closer examination of the Barcaccia fountain, on its surface one can notice the heraldic symbols of Pope Urban VIII in the form of bees and the sun. One of the features of the moment is its device. The monument is located in such a way that its base is located lower in level than the pedestrian zone, and the monument itself is slightly raised.
How to get to the Barcaccia Fountain
The Plaza de España is located in the fourth district of Rome (the Champ de Mars). If you get to the Barcaccia fountain by metro, you should get off at the Spagna station (red line). If you want to take a little walk along the Roman streets, then you can get off at the previous stop - Piazza Barberini.
