Fontana Maggiore description and photos - Italy: Perugia (Topic)

Fontana Maggiore description and photos - Italy: Perugia. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The title in English is Fontana Maggiore.

Photo and description

The Maggiore Fountain is a majestic medieval fountain located in Piazza Grande, also known as the 4th November Square, between the Cathedral of San Lorenzo and Palazzo dei Priori in Perugia. Several people worked on it in 1277-1278 at once. Thus, the local monk Bevignate da Cignoli developed the project of two multilateral concentric marble basins, topped with a bronze bowl. The hydraulic system was designed by another monk - Bonisenya Veneziano. The bronze bowl itself, decorated with statues of nymphs, is the work of the Perugian sculptor Rosso Padellio. Finally, Nicolo Pisano and his youngest son Giovanni Pisano worked on the creation of the sculptures located on the fountain.

The fountain was part of the beautification program for Perugia, started in the second half of the 13th century and timed to coincide with the construction of a new aqueduct, which made it possible to bring water from Mount Pacciano, standing a few kilometers from the city, to the very center of Perugia. In 1348, the building was seriously damaged by an earthquake, but was later restored.

On the 25 sides of the pool you can see 50 bas-reliefs depicting various prophets and saints, patrons of the months of the year, signs of the zodiac, scenes from the Book of Genesis, events from the history of Ancient Rome and Perugia, and 24 sculptures. The general appearance of the fountain is distinguished by the harmony and elegance of lines, as well as priceless decorations. The first large-scale restoration work was carried out in the middle of the 20th century, and the last - in the early 1990s, as a result of which the entire structure regained its former splendor.

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Topic: Fontana Maggiore description and photos - Italy: Perugia.