Fontana di Piazza S. Andrea della Valle

Commissioned by Paul the Fifth Borghese(1605-1621) and designed by Maderno, it was built in 1614 and placed in Piazza Scossacavalli in front of Palazzo Campeggi, residence of cardinal Scipione Borghese. The project included a huge quadrangular granite pond that Alexanderthe Sixth Borgia (1492-1503) had placed near the fountain of Piazza San Pietro and currently situated behind the apse of the basilica of San Peter. A square-plan fountain with arcs of circle inserted on the sides was built instead of this project. A decorated shaft with four volutes is placed in the centre. The shaft supports the low and wide circular-shaped basin and is decorated with the eagle and the dragon symbols of the Borghese family. A capital is placed at the centre of the basin. When part of the district of Borgo called “spina di Borgo” was demolished for the opening of Via della Conciliazione in 1933, the fountain was dismantled and stored in the Municipal depots. It was rebuilt in 1958 replacing a few elements an placed in front of the facade of the church of Sant’Andrea della Valle in the square having its same name.