Lucadea.com - Tag: Gian Lorenzo Bernini

17 August 202418 July 2024

Discovering the Obelisk of Minerva

Alla Scoperta dell'Obelisco della Minerva: Un Tesoro Nascosto a Roma

Discovering the Obelisk of Minerva
Rome, the Eternal City, is a treasure trove of history and culture that reveals itself at every corner. Among the wonders that fascinate visitors from all over the world, there is a little-known jewel that stands majestically near the famous Piazza della Minerva: the Obelisk of Minerva.
The obelisk, which is over 5 meters tall, was originally carved in Ancient Egypt and placed in the Temple of Isis in Sais. However, its journey to Rome took place only in 1667, when Pope Alexander VII decided to place it in front of the Church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. The famous sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini was commissioned to create a decorative base to support the obelisk.
The base of the obelisk is adorned with an elephant, a brilliant work by Bernini. This majestic animal supports the obelisk with its strong back, and every detail is made with extraordinary precision. The choice of the elephant as a support symbolizes strength and stability.
The presence of the obelisk in front of the Church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva is not accidental. Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom and war, is represented inside the church, and the obelisk underlines the importance of this mythological figure.
If you have the opportunity to visit Rome, do not miss the opportunity to admire this masterpiece. Stroll through the Piazza della Minerva, admire the extraordinary fusion between the ancient and the baroque, and discover the unique details that make this place so special.
The Obelisk of Minerva is more than just a monument; it is a fascinating piece of Rome’s history. Next time you find yourself in the Eternal City, stop by and be enchanted by the beauty and history this extraordinary place has to offer.

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The Obelisk of Minerva is one of the nine Egyptian obelisks of Rome, located in the Piazza della Minerva (the square of the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva). The obelisk is positioned on the back of a marble elephant, sculpted by Ercole Ferrata based on a design by Bernini in 1667; the entire monumental complex is also popularly known as the Pulcin della Minerva: “pulcino” in the dialect of the time meant “porcino”, referring to the elephant “for its small size and round shape”.
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Discovering the Minerva Obelisk: a hidden treasure in Rome – À la découverte de l’Obélisque de Minerve : un trésor caché à Rome – Descubriendo el Obelisco de Minerva: un tesoro escondido en Roma – Descobrindo o Obelisco de Minerva: um tesouro escondido em Roma – Entdecken Sie den Minerva-Obelisken: einen verborgenen Schatz in Rom – Khám phá Minerva Obelisk: kho báu ẩn giấu ở Rome – 发现密涅瓦方尖碑：罗马隐藏的宝藏 – ミネルヴァオベリスクの発見: ローマの隠された宝物

The text of the post was written with the help of ChatGPT, a language model from OpenAI.

23 July 202423 July 2024

The statue of the Nile in the Fountain of the Four Rivers

La statua del Nilo nella Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi a Roma

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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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

The text of the post was written with the help of ChatGPT, a language model from OpenAI.

27 May 202428 March 2024

The statue of the Ganges in the Fountain of the Rivers

La statua del Gange nella Fontana dei Fiumi a Roma

The statue of the Ganges 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.

Do you know Rome and its monuments? Add your own comment or go to the bottom of the site to read what other visitors have written.

Photo taken with Canon EOS RP and lens Canon RF 24-50.

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Bernini’s giants move in gestures full of life and with an irrepressible expressive exuberance. The Ganges holds a long oar that suggests the navigability of the river. The sculptor seeks a more careful study of the movements and expressions, which the artist varies to the maximum.
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The Ganges statue in the Fontana dei Fiumi in Rome – La statue du Gange dans la Fontana dei Fiumi à Rome – La estatua del Ganges en la Fontana dei Fiumi en Roma – A estátua do Ganges na Fontana dei Fiumi em Roma – Die Ganges-Statue in der Fontana dei Fiumi in Rom – Tượng sông Hằng ở Fontana dei Fiumi ở Rome – 罗马 Fontana dei Fiumi 的恒河雕像 – ローマのフォンタナ・デイ・フィウミにあるガンジス川の彫像

The text of the post was written with the help of ChatGPT, a language model from OpenAI.

26 April 202428 August 2024

The Moor Fountain in Piazza Navona in Rome

La Fontana del Moro in piazza Navona a Roma

The Moor Fountain in Piazza Navona in Rome
The Fontana del Moro is one of the most famous fountains in Rome and is located in Piazza Navona, one of the most famous squares in the city. The square is famous for its elongated shape and the three fountains that decorate it.
The Fontana del Moro is located on the southern side of the square and was designed by Giacomo della Porta in 1575. However, the central statue depicting a Moor (i.e. an African figure) was added later by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1654.
The sculpture of the Moor, to which the fountain owes its name, represents a bearded man sitting on a rock, intent on wrestling with a dolphin. The figure of the Moor was created by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and added to the fountain to replace the original sculpture of a satyr that is now in the Capitoline Museums.
The Fontana del Moro is characterized by a marble basin, supported by four dolphins, and four tritons emerging from the water, each supporting a dolphin. The fountain is one of the main attractions of Piazza Navona and contributes to the artistic and historical character of this public space.
Interestingly, Piazza Navona itself is built on the site of an ancient Roman stadium, known as the Stadium of Domitian. The square has become a lively and crowded place, frequented by tourists and residents, and often hosts cultural events and fairs throughout the year.

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Immediately after the restoration of the Aqua Virgo aqueduct, completed in 1570, work began on a secondary underground branch of the conduit, in order to reach the area of the ancient Campo Marzio, one of the most populous areas of Rome, and the construction of a certain number of fountains was consequently also planned. Among the first were commissioned by Pope Gregory XIII, in 1574, to Giacomo Della Porta, the two placed at the ends of Piazza Navona, of which the Fontana del Moro is the one located on the southern side of the square.
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The Moro Fountain in Piazza Navona in Rome – La fontaine Moro sur la Piazza Navona à Rome – La Fuente del Moro en Piazza Navona en Roma – A Fonte Moro na Piazza Navona em Roma – Der Moro-Brunnen auf der Piazza Navona in Rom – Đài phun nước Moro ở Quảng trường Navona ở Rome – 罗马纳沃纳广场的摩洛喷泉 – ローマのナヴォーナ広場にあるモロの噴水

The text of the post was written with the help of ChatGPT, a language model from OpenAI.

22 March 202418 August 2024

The Danube statue in the Fountain of the Rivers

La statua del Danubio nella Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi a Roma

The Danube statue in the Fountain of the Four Rivers in Rome.
The Fountain of the Four Rivers (or simply the Fountain of the Rivers) is one of the most famous monuments in Rome. Probably after the Trevi Fountain it is the most photographed.
In addition to the central obelisk, it is famous for the four statues representing the four rivers of the continents (known at the time): the Rio de la Plata, the Ganges, the Nile and the Danube.
In this post the photo is of the Danube, the longest river in Europe.

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Bernini’s giants move in gestures full of life and with an irrepressible expressive exuberance. The Danube indicates one of the two coats of arms of the Pamphili present on the monument as if to represent the religious authority of the pontiff over the entire world.
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The Danube statue in the Fountain of the Four Rivers in Rome – La statue du Danube dans la Fontaine des Quatre Fleuves à Rome – La estatua del Danubio en la Fuente de los Cuatro Ríos en Roma – A estátua do Danúbio na Fonte dos Quatro Rios em Roma – Die Donaustatue im Vierströmebrunnen in Rom – Bức tượng Danube ở Đài phun nước Bốn con sông ở Rome – 罗马四河喷泉中的多瑙河雕像 – ローマの四大河の噴水にあるドナウ川の像

6 March 202423 September 2024

The majestic Fountain of the Four Rivers and its obelisk

La maestosa Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi e il suo enigmatico obelisco

The majestic Fountain of the Four Rivers and its enigmatic obelisk.
In the majestic Piazza Navona, in the heart of Rome, stands one of the most iconic wonders of the eternal city: the Fountain of the Four Rivers. This artistic masterpiece, designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in the 17th century, is a true symbol of beauty, history and artistic ingenuity.
The fountain, located in the center of the square, is one of the greatest expressions of the Italian Baroque. It represents four of the most important rivers in the world at the time, each personified by a colossal statue: the Nile, the Ganges, the Danube and the Rio de la Plata. These imposing figures seem to emerge from the water, embracing a 16-meter-high Egyptian obelisk, crowned by the dove, symbol of the family of Pope Innocent X, who commissioned the fountain.
Each statue represents a river from a different part of the world, and Bernini has masterfully captured the essence of each. The Nile, for example, has its face covered by a cloth, as the source of the Nile was still a mystery at the time. The Ganges holds a water bladder and a pagoda, while the Danube holds a medallion depicting Saint Agnes in her hand, symbolizing the Church of Rome. Finally, the Rio de la Plata is covered by a cloak, symbolizing the fact that South America was then little known to Europeans.
The Egyptian obelisk that tops the fountain is a true historical treasure. Originally erected in the city of Heliopolis in Egypt in 6 BC, it was brought to Rome in 37 AD to be erected in the Circus Maxentius, where it remained for centuries. In 1651, Pope Innocent X decided to place it in the Piazza Navona, and Bernini designed the majestic fountain to adorn it.
The obelisk is covered with hieroglyphics that tell the story of the Pharaoh Domitian. At the top is a dove with an olive branch, a symbol of peace and one of the many surprising details that enrich the Fountain of the Four Rivers.

Today, the fountain and obelisk remain one of Rome’s main landmarks. Their beauty and the energy they exude are testaments to centuries of history, art, and culture. These monuments not only celebrate the greatness of the Eternal City, but also remind us of the importance of preserving humanity’s cultural heritage for future generations.
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The Fountain of the Four Rivers, or simply the Fountain of the Rivers, is an artistic fountain in Rome located in the centre of Piazza Navona, in front of the church of Sant'Agnese in Agone, designed by the sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini and built by a group of sculptors, including Giovan Maria Franchi, Giacomo Antonio Fancelli, Claude Poussin, Antonio Raggi and Francesco Baratta, between 1648 and 1651.
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