The Fountain in the Piazza della Rocca is one of Viterbo‘s most famous attractions. The current fountain dates back to the 16th century, but there was one in the square before that.
Piazza della Rocca Fountain Viterbo
History and description
The first version of the fountain already existed in the Middle Ages and was known as the Fontana di San Pietro alla Rocca.
In the 15th century, an approximately two meter wide basin was added to this fountain.
The current version was designed in 1566 by Vignola, who was in nearby Caprarola to build the Palazzo Farnese, and was summoned to Viterbo to build the fountain.
The original design was a failure. The upper parts of the fountain were too heavy and the danger of the work collapsing was very great.
In the end, the whole fountain was demolished and then reconstructed with the same material.
The fountain is octagonal in shape. Multiple steps lead to an also octagonal basin, above which two smaller basins can be seen. The iris crowning the monument is the symbol of the Farnese family.