I have just stopped there....

Have you seen that fountain there in the middle of the square, between Via dei Condotti and Piazza di Spagna? Have you seen how many people are there!!!??? And it was only morning.....

Barcaccia Fountain and Via dei Condotti

One afternoon during my usual walk around the center of the eternal city I have decided to stop and finally take a picture as everyone does....

At the side of the Barcaccia 

This is an intriguing fountain! It sits not far from the bottom of the Spanish steps .... one of the most visited square of Rome. This fountain called "La Barcaccia" is set very low, almost at street level, in order to function with the low water pressure that arrives here. 

But why a fountain in the shape of a small boat sit there in the middle? A tale said that in 1588 Rome suffered one of its worst flood...and so the Tiber arose over a meter high...and this was devastating and many people lost their homes.

But later, when the water receded, a small flat-bottomed boat was found in the mud...it was probably used to rescue people and move possessions! 

It was this that inspired Pietro Bernini, and his son Gian Lorenzo, to construct this wonderful fountain, commissioned by pope Urban VIII Barberini.

What is amazing is the fact that you can drink the water from the fountain....it is always so fresh!!

So next time stop there and try!!

Buona bevuta!!!