Your shopping cart is empty.
Feb 24, 2019
La Piazza della Rotonda is an ancient place. Its beauty captures the heart and imagination even after thousands of years.
The Pantheon was originally built by Marcus Agrippa in 27 BC as a gift to the people of Rome. He was the long time friend and trusted general of Caesar Augustus. Alarmingly the Pantheon burnt down two times! Then in 120 AD Emperor Hadrian restored and rebuilt this architectural wonder – including reinstalling the dedication on the façade which reads, “Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, three-time consul, made this”.
The piazza is filled with history. It is paved with sampietrini, the characteristic black basalt bevelled stones often used by the Romans. They are hard, durable, and dark which enhances the warm colors in the architecture beautifully.
People began referring to this square as “la Piazza della Rotonda” in the middle ages, inspired by this ancient building’s expansive round dome.
Drum roll please! This brings us to La Fontana di Piazza della Rotonda! It sits directly in front of the Pantheon and is supplied by the Acqua Vergine. It has actually undergone three incarnations.
The first version was in ancient Rome. Its basin was composed of porphyry marble that some say is rarest marble in the world found only in a single location in Egypt. There was a lion on each side carved from basalt, also from Egypt.
The second fountain came into being when Pope Gregory XIII decided it needed a redesign. He hired Giacomo Della Porta to create a new design for the fountain in 1575. He worked with Leonardo Sormani who carved it out of gray marble. Della Porta also removed the lions and added four masks which were actually inspired by Michelangelo’s work on the Piazza del Campidoglio.
The third version is the fountain we know today. Pope Clement XI decided the fountain needed renovated in 1711. He asked Filippo Barigioni to move the obelisk from Piazza San Macuto and install it directly in the center of the fountain. He also added the carvings that form the pedestal of the obelisk. It is inscribed with the coat of arms of Clement XI and the keys of the papacy. Four dolphins were also added to the corners of the basin that happily splash water.
For many reasons this is an awe-inspiring site not to be missed.
Superior Fine Art Prints on paper, metal, canvas and more
Archival certified printers, inks, and media
ARTIST and AUTHOR |
This is only visible to you because you are logged in and are authorized to manage this website. This message is not visible to other website visitors.
This means you can use the camera on your phone or tablet and superimpose any piece of art onto a wall inside of your home or business.
To use this feature, Just look for the "Live Preview AR" button when viewing any piece of art on this website!
This means you can use the camera on your phone or tablet and superimpose any piece of art onto a wall inside of your home or business.
To use this feature, Just look for the "Live Preview AR" button when viewing any piece of art on this website!