The Fountain of Neptune stands next to the Palazzo Vecchio in the Piazza della Signoria in Florence. It was placed there in 1575 on the occasion of the opening of a new aqueduct. The designer of the fountain was Bartolomeo Ammannati.
Fountain of Neptune Florence
Address, opening hours and entrance fee
Piazza della Signoria is a 10-minute walk from Florence Central Station. The nearest bus stop is Porta Rossa (line C2).The fountain can be visited free of charge at any time of the day.
History and description
In 1559, Cosimo I de Medici launched a competition to create the first public fountain in Florence. The city’s most famous sculptors took part, but in the end Ammanati‘s “Neptune” would be victorious.
The inauguration took place in 1565, on the occasion of the wedding between Francesco I de Medici and Johanna of Austria.
The marble Neptune was given the features of Cosimo I himself. It stands on a pedestal decorated with statues of the sea monsters Scylla and Charybdis. The shell in which the monument stands is octagonal in shape.