The original fountain: Giacomo della Porta (1575)
The fountain was built in 1575 to a design by Giacomo della Porta — the same architect who, during those same years, designed the fountains of Piazza Navona and several other Roman squares. It was part of Pope Gregory XIII's urban programme to equip the main road junctions of Rome with public fountains fed by the Acqua Vergine aqueduct.
The Acqua Vergine is the original Roman aqueduct, built by Agrippa in 19 BC to supply his baths. It is the only ancient Roman aqueduct still functioning in Rome. It still feeds the Trevi Fountain and other fountains in the historic centre today.
The octagonal basin
Della Porta's original fountain consisted of an octagonal basin with a smaller central basin supported by lions and palmettes. There was no obelisk — simply a monumental trough with a public function.
The design was sober: the fountain was meant to be functional before ornamental. The mascheroni — grotesque masks with open mouths from which water jets — are the main decorative element.
Later modifications
Over the centuries the fountain underwent several changes:
- The original design was completed by architect Leonardo Sormani
- In the seventeenth century certain parts were restored
- The addition of the obelisk in 1711 radically altered its appearance
The obelisk: Clement XI and 1711
In 1711, Pope Clement XI (born Giovanni Francesco Albani) decided to enrich the fountain with an obelisk. The choice was motivated by aesthetic and symbolic reasons: the obelisk elevated a simple fountain to a significant monument.
The obelisk and its Egyptian past
The obelisk was not purpose-made: it was already in Rome, lying abandoned nearby. It came from the Iseum Campense — the large Temple of Isis complex that occupied the Rione Sant'Eustachio, in the same area.
The obelisk had originally been erected in Egypt, probably as part of a temple complex. Its inscription is in Egyptian hieroglyphics. It was brought to Rome, like many Egyptian obelisks, during the imperial period to decorate the Isiac sanctuary.
Dimensions: the obelisk measures approximately 6.3 metres without its base (approximately 14 metres total, including fountain and base).
The 1711 project
The architect commissioned by Clement XI was Filippo Barigioni, who designed the pedestal with four dolphins supporting the obelisk shaft. The dolphins rest on the upper basin; water flows from their mouths.
The papal intervention is recorded in the inscription on the base, which commemorates Clement XI's contribution.
Details to look for
When approaching the fountain, there are specific elements worth seeking out:
Della Porta's mascheroni: four grotesque masks on the octagonal basin, with open mouths from which water flows. These are the oldest element of the fountain, dating from 1575.
The lions: in the original configuration small lions were present; in the current arrangement the 1711 dolphins have taken visual prominence.
The hieroglyphic inscription on the obelisk: Egyptian in origin, from ancient Egypt. Not all visitors come close enough to see it.
The inscription on the base: in Latin, commemorating Clement XI and the date 1711.
The water level: water overflows from the upper basin into the lower one, then drains through hidden channels. The overflow mechanism is typical of Roman Baroque fountains.
The meaning of the obelisk-fountain combination
The combination of elements — a Renaissance fountain from the sixteenth century enriched with an ancient Egyptian obelisk — is typical of Baroque Rome. The pope and his architects drew no sharp distinction between antiquarian recovery and decorative invention.
The obelisk brought with it a history of 3,000 years (Egypt) + 2,000 years (imperial and medieval Rome) + 300 years (modern Rome). The fountain is therefore a temporal palimpsest: different historical layers coexisting in a single urban object.
Comparison with Piazza della Minerva: a few minutes' walk away, another fountain-obelisk follows the same scheme: Bernini's elephant fountain (1667) supports another obelisk from the Iseum Campense. The area around the Pantheon was rich in recovered Egyptian obelisks.
The piazza as public space
The fountain has always functioned as the logistical centre of the piazza. Before running water reached private homes, public fountains were the neighbourhood water-collection points. Today it remains the visual and physical focal point of the square.
The piazza is increasingly crowded with tourists who stop at the fountain's edge to photograph the Pantheon. It is one of the densest stopping-points in Rome.
Visit the Pantheon with a private driver
The Pantheon lies entirely within the restricted traffic zone of Rome's historic centre. Private cars cannot access Piazza della Rotonda.
Visit the Pantheon with a private driver: direct, comfortable arrival with no traffic or parking concerns. Service from €49. → Book your driver at myromedriver.com
Frequently asked questions
Who built the fountain in front of the Pantheon? The original fountain was designed by Giacomo della Porta in 1575. The obelisk was added in 1711 by Pope Clement XI, with a design by Filippo Barigioni.
Where does the obelisk come from? From the Iseum Campense — the large Temple of Isis that occupied the area of Rione Sant'Eustachio, near the Pantheon. It had originally been erected in Egypt.
How old is the obelisk? The obelisk itself is of Egyptian date (hieroglyphic inscription). It was brought to Rome in the imperial period to decorate the Isiac sanctuary.
Why is the fountain octagonal? The octagonal form was common in Roman fountains of the sixteenth century. Giacomo della Porta used it for other Roman fountains of the same period.
Is the fountain water drinkable? Yes, the Acqua Vergine that feeds the central fountains of Rome is potable. Technically you can drink it, though current hygiene norms advise against drinking from outdoor basins.
Article no. 79 — TIER S — MON-04 Pantheon Type: PRACTICAL Words: ~1,200