The Fountain of Ponte Sisto
Title
The Fountain of Ponte Sisto
Description
The Fountain of Ponte Sisto is currently located at Piazza Trilussa, on the west side of Ponte Sisto. According to its niche inscription, this fountain was moved to its current location for the purpose of widening the river’s opposite bank in 1898. The original location of the fountain was at the head of Via Giulia and on the east side of Ponte Sisto. The historical etching shows that this fountain was incorporated into a building facing the direction of the Vatican and was connected with the Ponte Sisto.
This fountain is fed with water from Acqua Paola, an early 17th century aqueduct restored by Pope Paul V to provide water to Vatican and Trastevere areas. Since the 16th century, popes have restored three ancient aqueducts and built new public fountains in order to restore Roman authority and Catholic Church’s prestige. The Fountain of Ponte Sisto supplied water to the area on the east side of Ponte Sisto where the other two aqueducts could not reach.
Rinne identifies two types of public fountains from the 16th and 17th century: highly ornamental civic fountains and less ornate semi-public fountains. On the one hand, the main purpose of civic fountains was to glorify the city, impress visitors, and demonstrate the papacy’s opulence. There were restrictions against using the civic fountain for utility purposes, such as drinking and laundry. Soon, a type of drinking fountain as a supplement to civic fountain, beveratore, appeared as free standing fountains and drew water from the runoff water of the nearest civic fountain in the same piazza. On the other hand,semi-public fountains were initiated in the 1570s where wealthy individuals were given a quantity of water for free in exchange for constructing a public drinking fountain. Semi-public fountains were usually small and scattered around the city.
Rinne does not specify the fountain type of Ponte Sisto. It is likely a civic fountain that pays homage to its builder, Pope Paul V. The Fountain of Ponte Sisto probably acted as a mini-distribution center for secondary fountains and for powerful individuals. Individuals might have built a private conduit or pipeline to lead the water to their houses. In 1621, Cardinal Odoardo Farnese was granted 40 oncie of Acqua Paola run-off water by Pope Gregory XV from this fountain for use in the Palazzo Farnese. There was also a modest donation of one oncia of water from this fountain to the nearby hospital of San Sisto delle Mendicanti in 1616.
This fountain is fed with water from Acqua Paola, an early 17th century aqueduct restored by Pope Paul V to provide water to Vatican and Trastevere areas. Since the 16th century, popes have restored three ancient aqueducts and built new public fountains in order to restore Roman authority and Catholic Church’s prestige. The Fountain of Ponte Sisto supplied water to the area on the east side of Ponte Sisto where the other two aqueducts could not reach.
Rinne identifies two types of public fountains from the 16th and 17th century: highly ornamental civic fountains and less ornate semi-public fountains. On the one hand, the main purpose of civic fountains was to glorify the city, impress visitors, and demonstrate the papacy’s opulence. There were restrictions against using the civic fountain for utility purposes, such as drinking and laundry. Soon, a type of drinking fountain as a supplement to civic fountain, beveratore, appeared as free standing fountains and drew water from the runoff water of the nearest civic fountain in the same piazza. On the other hand,semi-public fountains were initiated in the 1570s where wealthy individuals were given a quantity of water for free in exchange for constructing a public drinking fountain. Semi-public fountains were usually small and scattered around the city.
Rinne does not specify the fountain type of Ponte Sisto. It is likely a civic fountain that pays homage to its builder, Pope Paul V. The Fountain of Ponte Sisto probably acted as a mini-distribution center for secondary fountains and for powerful individuals. Individuals might have built a private conduit or pipeline to lead the water to their houses. In 1621, Cardinal Odoardo Farnese was granted 40 oncie of Acqua Paola run-off water by Pope Gregory XV from this fountain for use in the Palazzo Farnese. There was also a modest donation of one oncia of water from this fountain to the nearby hospital of San Sisto delle Mendicanti in 1616.
Abstract
Public fountains in late medieval Rome glorified the city, impressed visitors, and demonstrated the opulence of the papacy. The highly ornate fountain of Ponte Sisto glorifies its builder, Pope Paul V, while acting as a mini-distribution center for secondary fountains in the area.
Creator
Yingying Wang (2019)
Edited by Tim Abbott (2026)
Edited by Tim Abbott (2026)
Source
Rinne, Katherine Wentworth. "Hydraulic Infrastructure and Urbanism in Early Modern Rome." Papers of the British School at Rome 73 (2005): 191-222.
Identifier
pontesistofountain_2017
Coverage
Spatial Coverage
Piazza Trilussa, 00153 Roma RM
Description
The Fountain of Ponte Sisto is currently located at Piazza Trilussa, on the west side of Ponte Sisto. According to its niche inscription, this fountain was moved to its current location for the purpose of widening the river’s opposite bank in 1898. The original location of the fountain was at the head of Via Giulia and on the east side of Ponte Sisto. The historical etching shows that this fountain was incorporated into a building facing the direction of the Vatican and was connected with the Ponte Sisto.This fountain is fed with water from Acqua Paola, an early 17th century aqueduct restored by Pope Paul V to provide water to Vatican and Trastevere areas. Since the 16th century, popes have restored three ancient aqueducts and built new public fountains in order to restore Roman authority and Catholic Church’s prestige. The Fountain of Ponte Sisto supplied water to the area on the east side of Ponte Sisto where the other two aqueducts could not reach.
Rinne identifies two types of public fountains from the 16th and 17th century: highly ornamental civic fountains and less ornate semi-public fountains. On the one hand, the main purpose of civic fountains was to glorify the city, impress visitors, and demonstrate the papacy’s opulence. There were restrictions against using the civic fountain for utility purposes, such as drinking and laundry. Soon, a type of drinking fountain as a supplement to civic fountain, beveratore, appeared as free standing fountains and drew water from the runoff water of the nearest civic fountain in the same piazza. On the other hand,semi-public fountains were initiated in the 1570s where wealthy individuals were given a quantity of water for free in exchange for constructing a public drinking fountain. Semi-public fountains were usually small and scattered around the city.
Rinne does not specify the fountain type of Ponte Sisto. It is likely a civic fountain that pays homage to its builder, Pope Paul V. The Fountain of Ponte Sisto probably acted as a mini-distribution center for secondary fountains and for powerful individuals. Individuals might have built a private conduit or pipeline to lead the water to their houses. In 1621, Cardinal Odoardo Farnese was granted 40 oncie of Acqua Paola run-off water by Pope Gregory XV from this fountain for use in the Palazzo Farnese. There was also a modest donation of one oncia of water from this fountain to the nearby hospital of San Sisto delle Mendicanti in 1616.
Creator
Yingying Wang (2019)Edited by Tim Abbott (2026)