The Turtle Fountain and that love legend…

Rome and its fountains: what a more poetic pairing! And then there is a Fountain that is truly the emblem of love…

Today we are in Piazza Mattei, at the entrance to the Ancient Jewish Ghetto, in the wonderful Rione XI - Sant’Angelo, cradle of artistic and architectural works.

Here stands one of the most beautiful fountains in Rome, the Turtle Fountain, built between 1581 and 1588 and designed by Giacomo della Porta. The Turtle Fountain combines sculptural works, an unparalleled architectural structure and wonderful plays of light and color that arise from the precious polychromy of the marbles used.

In particular, four young men made of bronze ride dolphins on shell-shaped basins - all sculpted by the Florentine Taddeo Landini. The iconic turtles were added only later, in 1658, by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

A romantic love legend is also linked to this wonderful and characteristic fountain. It is said that Duke Mattei, a well-known lover of gambling, lost his entire family fortune in one fell swoop during an unlucky day. As he was about to get married, his future father-in-law, upon hearing the news, refused to give him his daughter in marriage, calling him penniless. The Duke did not lose heart and, indeed, wanted to demonstrate his worth: he organized a sumptuous party at the palace, also inviting the rich lord and his daughter, and that same night he had this magnificent and imposing fountain built. The following day he proudly showed them the work, and exclaimed: "This is what a penniless Mattei is capable of creating in just a few hours!". In memory of the episode, he had the window from which they looked out to look at the Fountain bricked up, so that no one could admire it from their home anymore.

Fun fact: did you know that there is a twin fountain that is absolutely identical to the Turtle Fountain in Rome? It is located in Huntington Park in San Francisco and is exactly like the original!