Fountain of the Lions

The current fountain of the Lions replaced a sixteenth century fountain by Giacomo della Porta moved to Piazza Nicosia in 1950.

The work is by Valadier (1823) and was part of the project for the rearrangement of the town-planning scheme including Piazza del Popolo and the Pincio Hill, turned into a public garden. The works were interrupted during Napoleon’s fall and the restoration and were resumed and completed in 1834 under Gregory the Sixteenth Cappellari (1831-1846).

The obelisk was placed in the square at the centre of the entire complex by Domenico Fontana in 1589 to act as the item that unified the road system in the Tridente (the current area between Via del Babuino, Via del Corso, and Via di Ripetta). Four circular ponds are placed at the corners of the square stairway on which the obelisk rests. Above them are four lions resting on pyramids with steps and pour veils of water jets from their mouths.