Canale Monterano. Fontana del Leone

In designing the Baron's Palace of Canale Monterano, Bernini decided to link the two towers of the castle with an arcade of arches, a loggia, which reproduced the character of the nearby Roman aqueduct.

Under the loggia Bernini created a fountain resting directly on the rocky base of the supporting walls of the palace. On the top of the fountain he placed a sculpture of a lion that seems to shake the rock with a paw to draw out the water.

The sculpture of the lion has become one of the symbols of the town and the original piece is kept in the town hall.


Written by:
Benedicta Lee

Born in Rome from an Italian mother and American father, she works as a freelance communications manager and designer in the tourism sector, a career and interest which she is pursuing with a...

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