Fontana dei Dioscuri

The Fontana dei Dioscuri is located in front of the Presidential Palace in Piazza del Quirinale, just five minutes’ walk from Trevi Fountain. It was created after the realisation of a new branch of the Acqua Felice aqueduct, to provide water to the neighbourhood.

The Dioscuri were the twin brothers, Castor and Pollux, from the Greek and Roman mythology. Their statues , moved previously from the complex of the Thermal Baths of Constantine, were already present in the square.

Domenico Fontana was assigned the work of rearranging the monument, He decided to restore and reuse the two sculptures that were placed in a more central location on top of tall pedestals facing the Quirinale Palace.

This, however, was not the final arrangement, because in 1782 Pope Pius VI assigned the task to find a new composition for the fountain to architect Antinori. The Dioscuri were separated and placed at a squared angle, and a simple basin of the Roman origin was placed in the front.

One of the two obelisks adorning the Mausoleum of Pre-emptor Augustus was also moved here and placed in between the two brothers. Eventually, the construction of the fountain halted because of the Napoleonic invasion, and was finished only in 1818 by architect Stern.

At that time the work on Quirinale palace was still not finished, the whole complex would have developed into an important landmark of the Italian history, hosting Popes, Kings and eventually Italian Presidents.