The Fountain of the Lion (Fontana del Leone) in Naples used to be known as the Fontana del Mergoglino. It stands in the Via Mergellina.
Fountain of the Lion Naples
History and description
The Fountain of the Lion was commissioned by King Ferdinand I in the 18th century. It was created during a major renovation of the Royal House (Casino Reale) of Mergellina.
The water came from the nearby Monteleone hill. Since this water was of very good quality, the king wanted to use it for his palace.
In 1869, the fountain was reconstructed and it is then that the lion statue was added. The sculptor who made the statue was Pirolli.
It is a rather simple fountain consisting of a semi-circular structure with the lion on a central plinth.
Originally, there were two more tubs into which the water fell, but these have been lost.