Bernini: The Genius Behind Italy's Most Impressive Fountains

The Barcaccia, a stunning fountain constructed at the base of the Trinita dei Monti in Piaza di Spagna, was Bernini's earliest fountain. Roman locals and site seers who enjoy verbal exchanges as well as being the company of others still go to this spot. The streets surrounding his water fountain have come to be one of the city’s most trendy meeting places, something which would certainly have pleased Bernini himself. Dating back to around 1630, Pope Urbano VIII commissioned what was to be the earliest fountain of the artist's career. Illustrated in the fountain's design is a large ship slowly sinking into the Mediterranean Sea. The great flooding of ancient fountains the Tevere that covered the whole region with water in the 16th was commemorated by this momentous fountain as recorded by reports dating back to this time. Absenting himself from Italy only once in his life for a prolonged time period, in 1665 Bernini traveled to France.