The Fountain of the Navigators (or Navigator) in Rome is also called the Fountain of the Piazza del Porto di Ripetta thanks to its location in the square of the same name.
Porto di Ripetta Fountain Rome
History and description
The Fontana del Navigante was built in 1704 by order of Pope Clemens XI. At the time there was still a small river harbour there (the Porto di Ripetta, obviously). The fountain was placed here to give the dock workers an opportunity to quench their thirst.
The fountain was designed by Alessando Specchi, who had envisaged a rock inside an oval basin. A shell flanked by two dolphins is sitting on top of the rock. The coat of arms at the top is that of the Albini family.
Specchi was also responsible for the construction of the harbour itself. In 1703, after an earthquake had damaged the Colosseum, he reused some of its marble for the shipyard.
The lantern that was added in the middle of the 18th century was meant to help ships arriving during the night.
When the Ripetta harbour was destroyed in 1902, the fountain was dismantled and put in storage. In 1928 it was reconstructed, more or less in its original position. The work finished in 1930.