The Fountains of Rome

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Fountain of the Turtles

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Map

Fountain of the Turtles

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The Fontana delle Tartarughe (Fountain of the Turtles), one of the most charming fountains in Rome, as well as one of the oldest, stands in Piazza Mattei, just outside what was once an entrance to the Jewish Ghetto.

In 1580 Muzio Mattei, the owner of Palazzo Mattei, successfully applied to have water piped to the piazza outside his family residence. In return, he pledged to pave what was then known as Piazza Giuda and install a fountain for public use.

What came to be known as the Fontana delle Tartarughe was created between 1581 and 1584 by Taddeo Landini to a design by Giacomo della Porta. The turtles were added circa 1658 when the fountain was restored. They have been attributed to both Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Andrea Sacchi. ​

The Mattei family were responsible for opening and closing the gates to the ghetto, through a contract they held with the papacy.

Did you know? 
​A replica of the Fountain of the Turtles can be found in Huntington Park (San Francisco, California). It was made in Rome in the early 1900s and bought by William and Ethel Crocker for their estate at Hillsborough (Ca.). It was given to the city of San Francisco in 1954.

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