Fountain of Neptune: Iconic Landmark of Bologna

The Fountain of Neptune (Fontana del Nettuno) is one of the most iconic landmarks in Bologna, Italy. Located in Piazza Nettuno, just a short distance from Piazza Maggiore; the fountain of Neptune Bologna commands attention with its grandeur and impressive sculpture.

Designed by the renowned Flemish sculptor Giambologna (Jean de Boulogne) in the 16th century, the Fountain of Neptune was commissioned to celebrate the marriage of Alessandro de’ Medici, Duke of Florence, and Margaret of Austria. The towering statue of God Neptune, the God of Sea stood majestically at the center of Piazza del Nettuno in Bologna. The fountain with statues of cherubs and mermaids was one formidable sight.

Tourists were hovering around this fountain taking pictures from various angles. The statues were sculpted in 1566 by Giambologna and the muscled God arrests the attention of every tourist even today.

Giambologna was summoned from Florence to create a bronze statue of Neptune.  He created the Rape of the Sabine Women marble sculpture which is located in the Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence’s Piazza della Signoria.

Fountain of Neptune Bologna – Interesting Facts

It is said that Giambologna wanted to make Neptune’s genitals bigger but the Church forbade him from doing so. Not to be tamed, he designed the statue in such a manner that from a certain angle the outstretched thumb of his left hand seems to stick out from the lower abdomen, similar to an erect pen_s. So that was what the tourists and photographers were trying to capture!

Piazza del Nettuno Bologna

Fountain of Neptune in Piazza del Nettuno Bologna

The statue of Neptune is 4m tall and weighs 2,200 kg. In Bologna, the statue goes by the name of Il Gigante – or al zigant.

Students at the University of Bologna take 2 counter clockwise turns around the fountain due to the popular belief that it will help them pass in their exam. It is based on the belief that Giambologna kept walking around the fountain as he was pondering how to best make the statue of Neptune.

Maserati, the luxury sports car company, founded in Bologna in 1914 has trident as its logo. It is said to represent the strength and valor of Neptune.

There are several replicas of the Neptune Statue around the world, I saw one in Parisian Macau.

Just beneath him around his feet are four cherubs; they represent the winds, each holding a marine creature representing the rivers of the Papal States.

Cherub Fountain of Neptune Bologna

Cherub in Fountain of Neptune in Piazza del Nettuno

Further below are four sea nymphs, the reason for all the chatter around I guessed. Elegantly sculpted, these mermaids had water spouting out of their breasts. Quite a strange and unique imagination of the sculptor I thought. They symbolized the four known continents of the pre-Oceania world. They are named after the big streams Danube, Ganges, Amazon and Nile on these continents.

The fountain is truly beautifully made, I felt as I moved on to Bologna Cathedral.

You may like these:

Pin this for later

Fountain of Neptune Bologna

San Petronio Cathedral in Bologna: Incomplete Facade
5 Attractive Tulip Flowers from Europe: a Photo Essay

34 Responses to “Fountain of Neptune: Iconic Landmark of Bologna

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.