Perugia

Maggiore Fountain in Perugia

The Fontana Maggiore is located in the center of the main square of Perugia, the name is translated into Russian as the "Big Fountain". Maggiore is called one of the most interesting and beautiful fountains in Italy..

  • Recommended: Trevi Fountain in Rome

History reference

The Maggiore fountain was built in the second half of the 13th century, it was built for 3 years - from 1275 to 1278. The author of the project was a monk named Fra Bevignate, who also designed the cathedral of San Lorenzo (Cattedrale di San Lorenzo), located nearby.

The famous sculptor of that time Niccolo Pisano with assistants, one of whom was his son, embodied Bevinigne's ideas. The customer was the commune.
The reason for the creation of the fountain was the completion of the aqueduct.

Until the mid-13th century, townspeople took water from wells, and in 1254 it was decided to build a water supply system to supply Perugia with fresh water from a spring, which is located several kilometers from the city on Mount Pacciano.

The fountain was badly damaged during the earthquake that occurred 70 years after its construction - in 1348. In the 20th century, the Maggiore Fountain was restored 2 times: in 1948-1949 and in 1995-1999.

Description

The Maggiore Fountain is two fairly large pools located one above the other. Both are polygon shaped. A bronze bowl rises above the upper pool with the figures of three women holding a vessel of water.


Panels of large bowls are decorated with various sculptures and bas-reliefs. On 24 faces of the lower basin are zodiac signs, scenes from the life of Samson and David, as well as Romulus and Remus, the heroes of Aesop's fables, the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise, etc.


The pink panels of the upper pool are framed by white stone. At the joints of the panels are columns and sculptures of heroes of myths and bible characters. There are two statues depicting 13th-century city rulers — Matteo Correggio, who was mayor and head of the commune Eramano da Sassoferrato. There are also figures representing the cities of Tusi and Perugia, as well as Lake Trasimeno.
On the outer perimeter of the fountain is surrounded by a metal grill, designed to serve as protection against vandals.

How to find

Finding Maggiore is quite simple. The fountain is located on the square on November 4 (Piazza IV Novembre) - the main city square of Perugia. On one side of it stands the Palace of Priorov (Palazzo dei Priori), on the other side is the Cathedral of San Lorenzo.
We add that you can take a walk along the aqueduct that goes to the fountain. The gutter was paved from above, a railing was built and the aqueduct turned into a pedestrian bridge.

Watch the video: Places to see in Perugia - Italy Fontana Maggiore (March 2024).

Popular Posts

Category Perugia, Next Article

Pope met lovers in Vatican
Society

Pope met lovers in Vatican

Pope in love: “A real marriage is not one that just lasts” On St. Valentine's Day, lovers from all over the Earth gathered in the square near St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican: prayers, poems and music sounded. Message from the Pope to young people about to get married: "Don't be afraid of the word forever."
Read More
In Italy, a stolen relic with the blood of John Paul II
Society

In Italy, a stolen relic with the blood of John Paul II

The blood vial of the pontiff John Paul II (Papa Giovanni Paolo II), which was stolen last week from the temple where he was stored, was discovered yesterday by Italian carabinieri. A unique relic was found in a garage owned by a local drug addict. It was he and his two accomplices who stole the reliquary from St. Peter's Church in the city of Aquila a few days ago.
Read More
Italians began to get divorced twice as often
Society

Italians began to get divorced twice as often

“They won’t call a good deal marriage.” Residents of sunny Italy agreed with this saying. According to the census of Italy, conducted two years ago, the number of Italians who filed for divorce doubled. Such data are provided by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT).
Read More
Italy has the dirtiest air in Europe
Society

Italy has the dirtiest air in Europe

Almost 90% of European cities have exceeded the norms of permissible air pollution, but not one can be compared with Italy: the worst situation is in Padua, and of the 30 most polluted cities in Europe, 23 are Italian. Although pollutant emissions across Europe have declined, 88% of European cities are still exposed to substances recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as harmful to the body.
Read More