Fountains in Rome

Rome's visitors are often amazed by the number of fountains on every street corner. But Rome is a city of water, and the pride the ancients took in its aqueducts is as applicable today as it was 2,000 years ago. Delicious, ubiquitous drinking water is a welcome feature anytime of year. Visit Rome in the height of summer, when temperatues can exceed 40 degrees celcius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), and you'll appreciate the fountains even more. 

Before long, you will be stopping at the fountains with a bottle, or using them like a local. From the famous fountains of Rome in dazzling marble to the utilitarian nasone or big nose, you can be sure that there is always refreshment nearby, but whatever you do – don’t even think about dipping your toe in there, no matter how hot it is!

Rome, the City of Water

The Romans were well aware of how important and incredible their aqueduct system was. "In my opinion", wrote the first-century historian Dionysius of Halicarnassus, "Rome's three most magnificent works, in which the greatest of her empire are best seen, are its aqueducts, its paved roads, and the construction of its sewers."

None came about immediately.

It was Rome's fifth king, Tarquinius Priscus, who constructed the Great Drain (Cloaca Maxima in Latin) in the 6th century, paving the way for the Roman Forum by draining the swampland between the Palatine and Capitoline hills. It was not until the 4th century BC and the engineering ingenuity of Appius Claudius the Blind that Rome's first major roads were constructed, running south of the city, and the city's first aqueduct was completed, bringing fresh water into it.

Reconstruction of the Palatine Hill and Roman Forum valley in the 8th century BC.

Reconstruction of Julius Caesar’s forum (1st century BC). Image credit: Richard Sennett

Rome's first aqueduct was the Aqua Appia. Completed in 312 BC, it ran 16 kilometres east to west almost entirely underground from the 8th milestone along the Via Appia to the ancient city centre. Rome's waterways would later extend until the city had 12 Aqueducts bringing up to 200 million gallons of water into the city daily (that's more than 750 litres per person, per day). The Romans were the first to supply masses of fresh clean water to the population for drinking and bathing. 

In the first century BC, the emperor Augustus' right-hand man Marcus Agrippa renovated and reconstructed much of the Cloaca Maxima. In fact, the ancients tell us that it was so clean and so wide that Agrippa even sailed a small boat through it. Astonishingly, part of this ancient sewer still functions today, and you can see it trickle out into the River Tiber just below Ponte Palatino.

Tthe Cloaca Maxima in the 19th century, as depicted by Ettore Roesler Franz

The Cloaca Maxima today. Image credit: Encylopedia Britannica

When the barbarians besieged Rome in the 5th century, they destroyed the aqueducts to cut off Rome’s water supply. People then resorted to drinking out of the River Tiber which was incredibly unhealthy.

Fountains in Ancient Rome

According to records from the 3rd century CE there were 1,423 drinking fountains in the ancient city of Rome, today there are more than 2,000.  There are several types of fountains in Rome: monumental and ornamental fountains, rione fountains (which were the main water source for the rione or district), wall fountains and the fontanelle (little fountain) and nasoni (big noses) drinking fountains. 

Originally, Rome's fountains relied on gravity, meaning that the source of the aqueduct had to be higher than the fountain itself. The complex calculations could often be challenging for the architects but were essential as this determined how high the fountain could shoot water.  It wasn’t until the Renaissance that fountains would become a focus for the city again, this was thanks to Rome’s growing population. 

Fountain of the Four Rivers | Fountains in Rome

Famous Fountains in Rome

Many monumental fountains in Rome were built to celebrate the repair or building of a new aqueduct. A great example of this is the world's most famous fountains: the Trevi Fountain.

Trevi Fountain

Named after the three streets (tre vie) which converged at the site of its spring, the Trevi Fountain dates from 1762 — though the aqueduct that feeds it is much older. Its water comes from the ancient Roman aqueduct called the Aqua Virgo, and if you look at the panels that flank the fountain's centre, you can see depictions of the scenes of the aqueduct's construction (left) and the discovery of its spring (right).

Today the Trevi Fountain is better known for making a wish in the hope of returning to Rome, (or falling in love with a Roman some say). You stand with your back to the fountain and using your right hand, throw a coin over your left shoulder. 

Whether you come back to Rome or not, be sure your money goes to a good cause as it is donated to the Italian charity Caritas which supports families in need of shelter and food. In 2017 over €3,830 was thrown in each day!

The Trevi Fountain: A Short Guide

Rome's Trevi Fountain is the world's most famous fountain, a Baroque work of art, and one of the Italian capital's most recognisable attractions.

Fountain of the Four Rivers

Piazza Navona's Fountain of the Four Rivers is perhaps the next most impressive of Rome’s fountains. Commissioned by Pope Innocent X and executed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1651, the fountain portrays the main rivers in the four continents known at the time. 

Which rivers does the Fountain of the Four Rivers represent?

Bernini sculpted the four reclining river gods to symbolise the Pope’s dominion over the four known continents: Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. 

• The Nile represents Africa. The statue is depicted with his face covered, showing that the source of the river was still unknown, and surrounded by the native animals. 
• The Río de la Plata represents the Americas. Spilling forth with coins to indicate what wealth the papacy would gain from the New World, this statue represents the recently ‘discovered’ continent. 
• The Ganges represents Asia. Bernini’s river god holds an oar to show that it was easy to navigate the river. 
• The Danube represents Europe. Because this is the closest river to Italy, its statue touches the Papal coat of arms (the symbol of the Pamphili family). 

The Fontana dell'Acqua Paola

Climb the Gianicolco (Janiculum Hill) in Trastevere and you'll come across the Fontana dell'Acqua Paola. Known as ‘The big fountain’ Il Fontanone by the locals, it was built in 1612 to mark the end of the Acqua Paola aqueduct, restored by Pope Paul V, who named it after himself. 

It is the largest fountain in Rome and the second-most featured in Italian cinema after the Trevi Fountain.

Fountain of the Turtles

Although not a grand fountain, certainly one of the most beautiful in Rome is the Fountain of the Turtles (Fontana delle Tartarughe) on the edge of the Jewish Ghetto. 

It is one of the few fountains in Rome built by a private patron Muzio Mattei instead of a pope.  It was designed by Giacomo Della Porta in 1581 who created many of Rome’s beautiful fountains including those at each end of Piazza Navona. It is made with a beautiful African pink-grey marble with four male figures, dolphins, conch shells, and cute little turtles that were added almost a hundred years later by the artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

The Jewish Ghetto's Fontana delle Tartarughe (Fountain of the Turtles)

Don't swim in Rome's fountains.

While Rome might be scorching if you visit the city in summer, its fountains are ornamental and supply drinking water. Some of Rome's fountains are more than 400 years old - so be warned that Romans have no patience when tourists strip off and get into them or even dip their toes. 

Yes, the fountains in Rome may have been built for drinking and washing in the past, today they are considered artistic heritage and there is a hefty fine starting at €450 if you dare to take a dip.

Familiarise yourself with Italian swear words by cooling off in one of the Fountains in Rome

The Nasone drinking fountains

Did you know that Rome is home to around 2,500 freshwater drinking fountains? 

Known as 𝒏𝒂𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒊 or 'big noses' by locals, these fountains pump out 16,000m3 of pure, mineral-rich spring water each day. The constant flow keeps the water in the pipes from stagnating, meaning bacteria cannot proliferate and the purity levels remain high.

Drinking from the nasone fountains in Rome

There are two ways to drink from Rome's fountains: like a tourist or like a local. Tourists squat down as low as they can so they can lap up the water as it flows from the spout. Locals block the end of the spout with their finger so the water spurts upwards out of the hole and straight into their mouth.

You might think that some of that water would go to waste. But in fact, none of it does. Most water goes towards watering gardens, cleaning factories, and other non-drinking purposes. 

Are the fountains in Rome safe to drink from?

Of course! Rome's drinking water originates in the Appenine Mountains and is mostly supplied through ACEA's refurbished Peschiera Capore aqueduct, whose network extends for some 10,000km and part of which follows the same routes as the aqueducts that fed the capital 2,000 years ago.

Don't drink from Rome's fountains if you see the sign Acqua Non Potabile (Water Not Drinkable), which will be in clear view of the fountain.

The area around Rome is full of limestone so the water has a high calcium content and is only lightly chlorinated. The spring water from the fountains of Rome is gloriously fresh and cool, not to mention free - so make sure you keep your water bottle!

The constant availability of fresh drinking water means there’s no need to buy single-use plastic bottles during your time in Rome. Instead, we suggest investing in a reusable water bottle (𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒊𝒂, in Italian) and simply filling up at Rome’s 𝒏𝒂𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒊 ♻️

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