Misplaced Pages

Fontana della Barcaccia: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editContent deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 14:28, 13 August 2013 editBede735 (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users18,127 editsm →External links← Previous edit Latest revision as of 13:48, 4 January 2025 edit undoPantarch (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users565 editsm Added imageTag: Visual edit 
(67 intermediate revisions by 44 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Fountain in Rome}}
{{italic title}}
{{Infobox urban feature
]
|name=
|location=], ], ]
|place_type=Fountain
|image_place=Barcaccia e scalinata.jpg
|image_caption=Fontana della Barcaccia in Piazza di Spagna, Rome
|designer=]
|imagesize=270
|coordinates={{Coord|format=dms|display=it}}
|image_map=
{{Infobox mapframe
|zoom=12
|marker=monument
|frame-width=270
|wikidata=yes
}}
|map_caption=Click on the map for a fullscreen view
}}
]
The '''Fontana della Barcaccia''' ({{IPA|it|barˈkattʃa|lang}}; "Fountain of the Boat") is a ]-style fountain found at the foot of the ] in ]'s ] (Spanish Square). ] commissioned ] in 1623 to build the fountain as part of a prior Papal project to erect a fountain in every major piazza in Rome. The fountain was completed between 1627 and 1629 by Pietro possibly along with the help of his son ], especially after his father's death on August 29, 1629.

==Description==
].]] ].]]
The sculptural fountain is made into the shape of a half-sunken ship with water overflowing its sides into a small basin. The source of the water comes from the ], an aqueduct from 19 BCE. Bernini built this fountain to be slightly below street level due to the low water pressure from the aqueduct. Water flows from seven points of fountain: the center baluster; two inside the boat from sun-shaped human faces; and four outside the boat.
'''''Fontana della Barcaccia''''' ({{lang-en|Fountain of the Old Boat}}) is a ] fresh-water fountain in the ] in Rome, Italy, just below the ]. It is so named because it is in the shape of a half-sunken ship with water overflowing its bows. The fountain was commissioned by ] and was completed in 1627 by ] and his son ].


The shape was chosen because, prior to the river walls being built, the ] often flooded and in 1598 there was a particularly bad flooding and the Piazza di Spagna was flooded up to a meter. Once the water withdrew, a boat was left behind in the square.<ref>{{cite book|last=Rendina|first=Claudio|title=Enciclopedia di Roma|publisher=Newton & Compton|year=1999|location=Rome}}</ref> According to legend, as the River ] flooded in 1598, water carried a small boat into the Piazza di Spagna. When the water receded, a boat was deposited in the center of the square, and it was this event that inspired Bernini's creation.<ref>{{cite book|last=Rendina|first=Claudio|title=Enciclopedia di Roma|publisher=Newton & Compton|year=1999|location=Rome}}</ref> The fountain is decorated with the papal coat of arms of the Barberini family as a reminder of Pope Urban VIII's ancestry.


==Damage and restoration==
On May 15, 2007 four drunken tourists damaged the monumental fountain with a large screwdriver inflicting a deep scratch, with the consequent detachment of a significant part of the papal coat of arms.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.corriere.it/Primo_Piano/Cronache/2007/05_Maggio/15/fontana_piazza_spagna.shtml | title = Roma: 4 ubriachi danneggiano "Barcaccia" | publisher = corriere.it | date = May 16, 2007}}</ref> The ] who rushed to the place were attacked by the four vandals, but still managed to get them under arrest and prevent further damage.

] on the fountain has been carried out several times, the last being in 2014, through a private donation of €209,960. A few weeks after the unveiling, the fountain was damaged on 19 February 2015 by a group of Dutch ] ], who were in Rome to support ]-based club ] in a ] match against ]. The group, allegedly under the influence of alcohol and drugs,<ref></ref> stepped into the fountain and threw bottles and rubbish in it before clashing with the police.

==In popular culture==
The English poet ] could hear the sound of the fountain's water flowing soothingly from his deathbed. He said it reminded him of lines from the 17th-century play ''], or Love Lies a-Bleeding'' (1611) and was the source for his ]: "Here lies one whose name was writ in water." The English poet ] could hear the sound of the fountain's water flowing soothingly from his deathbed. He said it reminded him of lines from the 17th-century play ''], or Love Lies a-Bleeding'' (1611) and was the source for his ]: "Here lies one whose name was writ in water."

] uses the fountain as a plot device in '']''.

==See also==
*]


==References== ==References==
{{reflist}} {{Reflist}}


==External links== ==External links==
* *
* *
* {{commons-inline}}


{{Gian Lorenzo Bernini}} {{Gian Lorenzo Bernini}}
{{Sequence
{{coord|41|54|21|N|12|28|56.25|E|region:IT_type:landmark|display=title}}
| prev = ]

| list = Landmarks of Rome
| curr = Fontana della Barcaccia
| next = ]
}}
<!-- "Il Facchino" as the next landmark and "Babuino" as the previous one are taken from the navbox "Landmarks of Rome" that is placed below. A navbox is invisible in mobile view. The addition enables mobile users to click at least the next landmark or the previous one. -->
{{Monuments of Rome}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fontana Della Barcaccia}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Fontana Della Barcaccia}}
] ]
] ]
] ]
]

]
{{italy-struct-stub}}

Latest revision as of 13:48, 4 January 2025

Fountain in Rome
Fontana della Barcaccia
Fountain
Fontana della Barcaccia in Piazza di Spagna, RomeFontana della Barcaccia in Piazza di Spagna, Rome
DesignPietro Bernini
LocationPiazza di Spagna, Rome, Italy

Click on the map for a fullscreen view
Coordinates: 41°54′21″N 12°28′56″E / 41.90581°N 12.48221°E / 41.90581; 12.48221
The Barcaccia Fountain immediately after its 2014 restoration, viewed toward the adjacent Piazza Mignanelli.

The Fontana della Barcaccia (Italian: [barˈkattʃa]; "Fountain of the Boat") is a Baroque-style fountain found at the foot of the Spanish Steps in Rome's Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Square). Pope Urban VIII commissioned Pietro Bernini in 1623 to build the fountain as part of a prior Papal project to erect a fountain in every major piazza in Rome. The fountain was completed between 1627 and 1629 by Pietro possibly along with the help of his son Gian Lorenzo Bernini, especially after his father's death on August 29, 1629.

Description

Fontana della Barcaccia, seen from the top of the Spanish Steps.

The sculptural fountain is made into the shape of a half-sunken ship with water overflowing its sides into a small basin. The source of the water comes from the Acqua Vergine, an aqueduct from 19 BCE. Bernini built this fountain to be slightly below street level due to the low water pressure from the aqueduct. Water flows from seven points of fountain: the center baluster; two inside the boat from sun-shaped human faces; and four outside the boat.

According to legend, as the River Tiber flooded in 1598, water carried a small boat into the Piazza di Spagna. When the water receded, a boat was deposited in the center of the square, and it was this event that inspired Bernini's creation. The fountain is decorated with the papal coat of arms of the Barberini family as a reminder of Pope Urban VIII's ancestry.

Damage and restoration

On May 15, 2007 four drunken tourists damaged the monumental fountain with a large screwdriver inflicting a deep scratch, with the consequent detachment of a significant part of the papal coat of arms. The carabinieri who rushed to the place were attacked by the four vandals, but still managed to get them under arrest and prevent further damage.

Restoration on the fountain has been carried out several times, the last being in 2014, through a private donation of €209,960. A few weeks after the unveiling, the fountain was damaged on 19 February 2015 by a group of Dutch football hooligans, who were in Rome to support Rotterdam-based club Feyenoord in a Europa League match against A.S. Roma. The group, allegedly under the influence of alcohol and drugs, stepped into the fountain and threw bottles and rubbish in it before clashing with the police.

In popular culture

The English poet John Keats could hear the sound of the fountain's water flowing soothingly from his deathbed. He said it reminded him of lines from the 17th-century play Philaster, or Love Lies a-Bleeding (1611) and was the source for his epitaph: "Here lies one whose name was writ in water."

Jess Walter uses the fountain as a plot device in Beautiful Ruins.

See also

References

  1. Rendina, Claudio (1999). Enciclopedia di Roma. Rome: Newton & Compton.
  2. "Roma: 4 ubriachi danneggiano "Barcaccia"". corriere.it. May 16, 2007.
  3. Ansa.it

External links

Gian Lorenzo Bernini
List of works
Sculpture
1610s
1620s
1630s
1640s
1650s
1660s
1670s
Architecture
and fountains
Paintings
Related
Preceded by
Babuino 		Landmarks of Rome
Fontana della Barcaccia 		Succeeded by
Il Facchino
Landmarks of Rome
Walls and gates
Ancient obelisks
Ancient Roman
landmarks
Triumphal arches
Aqueducts
Sewers
Public baths
Religious
Fora
Civic
Entertainment
Palaces and villae
Column monuments
Commerce
Tombs
Bridges
Roman Catholic
basilicas
Other churches
Castles and palaces
Fountains
Other landmarks
Squares, streets
and public spaces
Parks, gardens
and zoos
Museums and
art galleries
Art
Landscape
Seven Hills
Metropolitan City
of Rome Capital
Events and traditions
Enclave
Categories: