Neapolitan Day: the fountains of Naples

by Silvia Semonella

“E tutte le fontane di Napoli sono lagrime: quella di Monteoliveto è formata dalle lagrime di una pia monachella che pianse senza fine sulla Passione di Gesù; quella dei Serpi sono le lagrime di Belloccia, una serva fedele innamorata del suo signore; quella degli Specchi è fatta delle lagrime di Corbussone, cuoco di palazzo e folle di amore per la regina cui cucinava gli intingoli; quella del Leone è il pianto di un principe napoletano, cui unico e buon amico era rimasto un leone che gli morì miseramente; e quella di fontana Medina sono le lagrime di Nettuno, innamorato di una bella statua cui non arrivò a dar vita” (And all the fountains of Naples are tears: the one at Monteoliveto is made of the tears of a devout little nun who wept endlessly over the Passion of Christ; the one at Serpi is made of the tears of Belloccia, a faithful servant in love with her master; the one at Specchi is made of the tears of Corbussone, the palace cook, madly in love with the queen for whom he cooked his sauces; the one at Leone is the weeping of a Neapolitan prince whose only good friend, a lion, had died a wretched death; and the one at Fontana Medina is made of the tears of Neptune, in love with a beautiful statue he never managed to bring to life).

This is how Matilde Serao, in “Leggende napoletane” (“Neapolitan Legends”), describes the most famous fountains of Naples, an integral part of the city's urban landscape.

In Neapolitan history, fountains have played a hugely important, twofold role: first of all, they served for water supply and for the distribution of water, whether from springs or aqueducts, to the population, and secondly, as a celebration of the power and generosity of the sovereigns who, over the years, succeeded one another on the throne of Naples.

Many no longer exist, or have been altered or moved, but some truly monumental ones of rare beauty remain.

The Neptune Fountain

Source: Il Portale del Sud

The Neptune Fountain, located in Piazza Municipio, was commissioned by the viceroy Enrico di Guzmán, Count of Olivares, who ordered its construction towards the end of the 16th century, carried out by Michelangelo Naccherino, Angelo Landi, Pietro Bernini and Domenico Fontana. It was built near the arsenal but, over the centuries, has undergone several moves and various changes. The original structure featured a large basin supported by four dolphins, from which rose as many caryatids. Around 1625, since the area where it had been placed had no water, the viceroy Don Antonio Alvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alba had it moved to Largo di Palazzo (today's Piazza Plebiscito). From there, as it got in the way of square festivities, it was relocated to S. Lucia and, once again, in 1638, to via Medina; it was during this period that it also underwent works of enlargement and enrichment. After the damage it suffered during the Masaniello revolt, it was restored and moved near the Molo Grande, before being placed in Piazza Borsa, where it remained until 2000.

Finally, to make way for metro construction works, it was brought back to via Medina.

The name comes from the central statue, which is indeed that of Neptune, from whose trident water gushes forth, standing at the centre of a basin supported by two satyrs and two nymphs.

The Giant Fountain

Photo: Fabrizio Reale

The Giant Fountain, also known as the Immacolatella, located in via Partenope, was instead commissioned by the viceroy Don Antonio Alvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alba, who once again entrusted the work to Pietro Bernini and Michelangelo Naccherino. Its two names come from the places that hosted it throughout its history: at first, it stood near the Royal Palace, where the statue of the Giant, found at Cuma, was located, and later towards the pier, opposite the building known as the Immacolatella. It was then moved to Piazza del Carmine, in the small gardens of via S. Pasquale a Chiaia, and finally, to its permanent location in via Partenope, in 1905. Structurally, it rises on a base and is formed by three round arches; the basin depicts sea creatures, while on the sides, two river statues hold “sea monsters”. At the side ends, finally, two caryatids hold cornucopias.

The Sebeto Fountain

Source: liberopensiero

The Sebeto Fountain (or Fonseca Fountain) stands at the end of Via Caracciolo, in Largo Sermoneta. It was built in 1635 at the behest of the viceroy Manuel Zuñiga y Fonseca, Count of Monterrey, who entrusted the design to Cosimo Fanzago, who worked on it together with his sons. It originally stood on what is now via Cesario Console, but was later moved to the seafront in 1939. It is formed by an arch, at the centre of which stands a statue of the Sebeto (an ancient river of Naples), and a base on which three basins rest. On the arch are a plaque and the coats of arms of the viceroy, the city and the king.

The Siren Fountain

Source: charme.it

The Siren Fountain, built by Francesco Jerace in the mid-19th century and originally located in the gardens opposite the old Piazza Garibaldi station, is today found in Piazza Sannazzaro. It consists of a sunken circular basin in which, on a rock, stand four sea creatures, above which rises a siren, holding a lyre in her hands.

The Artichoke Fountain

Source: fotocommunity

Commissioned by the then mayor of the city Achille Lauro, the Artichoke Fountain stands in Piazza Triste e Trento and was built in the mid-1950s. It features a large circular basin, surrounded by a small garden, at the centre of which stands a bowl containing the water that springs from a corolla-shaped vase. It is precisely this distinctive shape that earned it the nickname “carciofo” (artichoke) among Neapolitans.

The Monteoliveto Fountain

Photo: Fabrizio Reale

The Monteoliveto Fountain (or the Fountain of King Charles II), situated in Piazzetta Trinità Maggiore, was built at the behest of the viceroy Don Pietro Antonio d'Aragona, to celebrate the King of Spain, Charles II; work began in 1669 and continued for several years, partly due to indecision over how to depict the sovereign, who was then an adolescent. It features a three-armed, multi-lobed basin, on which stands a pedestal with three lions and three eagles, along with the coats of arms of the king, the viceroy and the city of Naples. At the centre, on a triangular base, stands a bronze statue of the king.

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