Roman Fountain
The source “Api del Bernini” or “Fontana delle Api”, in the city of Rome, is well known by tourists and the numerous photographs taken there. Today, despite being vandalized and damaged by people with few or no concerns with its historical heritage, it continues to show us the bee’s importance in the traditions of the people, in its culture and the will to perpetuate this importance in public monuments. This fountain was built in 1644 and was for many years a place of public water supply to the population of Rome.
“Api del Bernini” or “Fontana delle Api” Located near Via Veneto and Piazza Barberini was built by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and dedicated to Pope Urban VIII, as you can still read in the inscription:
In honor of Pope Urban VIII, a devotee of Hellenistic culture and bees, and among the various ornamental motifs we can still observe the small bees represented in various places.
The bee is an important ornamental element in many coats and fountains. Being a public water supply system that lost weight and fell into disuse in today’s cities, the fountains were disappearing due to urban needs or damaged by people with little knowledge of their importance.
