The statue of the Nile in the Fountain of the Four Rivers
The Nile statue in the Fountain of the Four Rivers in Rome.
The Fountain of the Four Rivers is one of the most famous works of the famous Italian sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini. It is located in the Piazza Navona in Rome and was commissioned by Pope Innocent X (born Giovanni Battista Pamphilj) in 1648. The fountain is located in the center of the square and is a masterpiece of Baroque art.
The fountain takes its name from the four rivers represented in the four giant statues located at the base of the central tower. These four rivers are symbols of four of the then known continents: the Nile for Africa, the Ganges for Asia, the Danube for Europe and the Rio de la Plata for the Americas. The statues are made of marble and each is accompanied by an animal or symbol characteristic of the region it represents.
At the center of the fountain is an Egyptian obelisk, an architectural element that was transferred from Ancient Rome to the square by order of Pope Innocent X. The obelisk is crowned by the dove of peace and topped by a gilded bronze globe. This element gives the fountain a remarkable height and grandeur.
The Fountain of the Four Rivers is an impressive work that masterfully mixes art, architecture and symbolism, as often happens in Bernini's works. Its creation required a considerable effort of engineering, and the result is one of the most admired and iconic attractions in Rome.
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Here's where the fountain is located:
Bernini’s giants move in gestures full of life and with an irrepressible expressive exuberance. The Nile covers its face with a drapery, referring to the obscurity of its sources, which remained unknown until the end of the 19th century.
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The statue of the Nile in the Fountain of the Four Rivers in Rome – La statue du Nil dans la Fontaine des Quatre Fleuves à Rome – La estatua del Nilo en la Fuente de los Cuatro Ríos en Roma – A estátua do Nilo na Fonte dos Quatro Rios em Roma – Die Nilstatue im Vierströmebrunnen in Rom – Tượng sông Nile tại Đài phun nước Bốn con sông ở Rome – 罗马四河喷泉中的尼罗河雕像 – ローマの四大河の噴水にあるナイル川の像
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Come ho gia scritto altrove mi ricordo bene della fontana, non sapevo della storia dei 4 fiumi pero’!