Neptune Fountain Bologna

The Neptune Fountain is situated at the center of Bologna. A bronze statue of the Roman God Neptune, exuding masculinity and godliness, stands imposingly in the middle with a trident in hand. Surrounding him are four putti representing the Ganges, the Nile, the Amazon and the Danube rivers.

Finally, at the base are four nymphs with water ejecting from their breasts. The talented Giambologna, commissioned by Pope Pius IV in the 16th century, designed the fountain. The Pope was concerned by the size of Neptune’s genitalia and ordered Giambologna to make the necessary adjustments. Giambologna obliged but did end up showing what he wanted; he sculpted the arm and the thumb so that it looked like an extension of the genitalia from a certain angle. 


There is also a popular superstition surrounding the fountain. Before an exam, students circle it twice in the counter-clockwise direction. Giambologna himself used to walk around while building the fountain so that he could perfect his work. It is meant to be looked at from all sides and angles and is highly symmetrical. The Bologna-based luxury car manufacturer Maserati’s logo is inspired by the trident brandished by Neptune.