Fontane di Piazza San Pietro
Fontane di Piazza San Pietro
4.4
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The area
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Neighborhood: Vatican / Borgo
Frocked priests, colorful Swiss Guards, insistent souvenir shop owners, flag-waving tour guides, and pilgrims from around the world. This is the Vatican and Borgo, Rome's most recognized neighborhood which acts as Vatican City's front yard. Aside from the souvenir boutiques and a few food spots, the only business conducted here is papal. In the daytime, the tiny medieval sector bustles with holy activity, as visitors vie for elbow room, or stand in line for a visit. Once the sun sets, the neighborhood is transformed into a quiet and picturesque hamlet.
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7,003 within 3 miles
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2,398 within 6 miles
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.4
178 reviews
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Rui_F74
Santo Tirso, Portugal18,818 contributions
May 2023
Anyone in Saint Peter's Square will see two fountains. The one on the north side is a work by Carlo Maderno (1556-1629), made in the first half of the 19th century. XVII, and the other, on the south side, made by Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680), is from the second half of the century. XVII.
It was Pope Clement X who asked Bernini to make this second fountain, trying to make one similar to the one made by Maderno, sixty years earlier, and he succeeded.
With lots of water, these two fountains bring freshness to this beautiful square.
It was Pope Clement X who asked Bernini to make this second fountain, trying to make one similar to the one made by Maderno, sixty years earlier, and he succeeded.
With lots of water, these two fountains bring freshness to this beautiful square.
Written August 8, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TravelingSoccerLoon
Saint Paul, MN8,539 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
At spectacular St Peter's Square, you will find two beautiful fountains on either side of the Obelisk. The older Maderno Fountain on the north side of the square was designed by architect Carlo Maderno and completed in 1614. The similar appearing Bernini Fountain on the south side of the square was completed in 1677 by sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The fountains add to the beauty of the square.
Written December 1, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brad
Hong Kong, China182,695 contributions
Feb 2024 • Family
This is the pair of 17th-century fountains that flank the Vatican Obelisk in the middle of Piazza San Pietro. The northern fountain was built by Carlo Maderno while the southern fountain is the work of G.L. Bernini. The fountains have a similar appearance both with a mushroom like cap spouting water upward and falling into a middle basin before spilling into the octagonal shaped, ground-level basin. They are nice fountains but can be quickly overlooked while admiring scale and colossal structures around the square.
Written May 4, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dapper777
Monaco69,138 contributions
Aug 2021 • Friends
In St. Peter's Square, two twin fountains complete and enrich the majestic vision of the Basilica.
They have been there for centuries and without them the square would not be the same, they were not built together, and not even in the same century.
The oldest fountain is the one on the right - coming from via della Conciliazione - and has been in the square since at least 1490. It was restored in 1501 but the real transformation took place in 1614 by Carlo Maderno.
The second fountain on the left is the work of Bernini.
In 1657 Gian Llorenzo Bernini was commissioned to arrange St. Peter's Square.
To achieve symmetry, Bernini decided to move the first fountain in line with the obelisk - placed in the center of the square in 1586.
To complete the work, a second fountain, 'twin' but not identical, was built, symmetrically positioned on the south side of the square and inaugurated in 1677.
Located symmetrically at the center of the two hemicycles of the Berninian colonnade and aligned with the Vatican Obelisk, the "almost" twin fountains of St. Peter's Square are due to the ingenuity of two of the major figures of the architectural history of this famous square: Carlo Maderno, who made the façade of the basilica, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the greatest artist of the Roman Baroque and brilliant designer of the square.
They have been there for centuries and without them the square would not be the same, they were not built together, and not even in the same century.
The oldest fountain is the one on the right - coming from via della Conciliazione - and has been in the square since at least 1490. It was restored in 1501 but the real transformation took place in 1614 by Carlo Maderno.
The second fountain on the left is the work of Bernini.
In 1657 Gian Llorenzo Bernini was commissioned to arrange St. Peter's Square.
To achieve symmetry, Bernini decided to move the first fountain in line with the obelisk - placed in the center of the square in 1586.
To complete the work, a second fountain, 'twin' but not identical, was built, symmetrically positioned on the south side of the square and inaugurated in 1677.
Located symmetrically at the center of the two hemicycles of the Berninian colonnade and aligned with the Vatican Obelisk, the "almost" twin fountains of St. Peter's Square are due to the ingenuity of two of the major figures of the architectural history of this famous square: Carlo Maderno, who made the façade of the basilica, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the greatest artist of the Roman Baroque and brilliant designer of the square.
Written September 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Deanosaur89
Edmonton, Canada9,398 contributions
Apr 2023 • Couples
These impressive and large fountains aren't hard to miss as they stand out and are at the south and north side of the Egyptian Obelisk. The area is free to enter and explore. The fountains have some interesting history to them because they influenced large fountains throughout Europe including the ones in Paris' Place de la Concorde.
Written April 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mairwen1
United Kingdom12,410 contributions
Jun 2022
The two Vatican fountains are almost twins, but not quite. You have to look carefully to tell them apart. It’s a bit like playing spot-the-difference.
The original fountain is the one on the right (as you look at the Vatican). It was designed in 1614 by Maderno, who also designed the basilica’s facade.
Some sixty years later, Bernini designed a second fountain but copied the original one almost exactly.
To tell them apart, you have to look at the coat of arms on the bases. The eagle and dragon belong to Pope Paul V (Maderno’s fountain). The stars belong to Pope Clement X (Bernini’s fountain). Bernini also added a couple of dolphins, which served as his signature.
What made the fountains unique was that Maderno turned the upper basin upside down, so that it looked like a mushroom. Water gushed out of the top and its fall was broken on the upturned basin, creating a veil-like effect as it cascaded between the basins.
For those interested in the hydraulics, the fountains do not use pumps. Gravity causes the water to flow through which only works because the fountains' bases are lower than the actual water level. Originally the jets shot water over 8 metres into the air which would have looked a lot more spectacular. This was reduced when Pope Paul VI cut back to reduce wastage.
NOTE: It is free to walk around St Peter's Square.
The original fountain is the one on the right (as you look at the Vatican). It was designed in 1614 by Maderno, who also designed the basilica’s facade.
Some sixty years later, Bernini designed a second fountain but copied the original one almost exactly.
To tell them apart, you have to look at the coat of arms on the bases. The eagle and dragon belong to Pope Paul V (Maderno’s fountain). The stars belong to Pope Clement X (Bernini’s fountain). Bernini also added a couple of dolphins, which served as his signature.
What made the fountains unique was that Maderno turned the upper basin upside down, so that it looked like a mushroom. Water gushed out of the top and its fall was broken on the upturned basin, creating a veil-like effect as it cascaded between the basins.
For those interested in the hydraulics, the fountains do not use pumps. Gravity causes the water to flow through which only works because the fountains' bases are lower than the actual water level. Originally the jets shot water over 8 metres into the air which would have looked a lot more spectacular. This was reduced when Pope Paul VI cut back to reduce wastage.
NOTE: It is free to walk around St Peter's Square.
Written June 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
backpacker31
Boynton Beach, FL5,957 contributions
Feb 2020 • Solo
It’s a multi-tiered fountain sitting just off the center in St. Peter’s Square. If I were here in the summertime it would be great - cool water spraying all over me as I waited on line to get into the Basilica. Unfortunately, this was February and the last thing I needed was cold water spraying on me while I’m waiting outside in 50 degree (F) weather.
Written February 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Malgorzata
12,069 contributions
May 2019
On St. Peter's square there are two fountains. The twin fountains are located on the main axis of the elliptical square, according to the Egyptian obelisk in the center. One of them, located on the right side of the square, is the work of Maderno, and the other is its faithful copy- Bernini's work. A beautiful fountains in a really beautiful place. Definitely worth seeing.
Written April 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Foodie_CST🍽🇷🇴
Kolios, Greece5,063 contributions
Jun 2019 • Family
Pretty nice fountain located in St. Peter's square, you definitely cannot miss it. Worth checking it to take some nice pictures while you wait to see the St. Peter's Basilica.
Written March 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
glenda w
27 contributions
Nov 2019
This is a beautiful fountain near St. Peter's Basilica!!! We toured St. Peter's Square, Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums plus St. Peter's Basilica!! All worth your time and money to tour!!! Don't miss this area!!!
Written December 12, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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