Fontana dei Dioscuri

The Dioskurenbrunnen ( Italian: Fontana dei Dioscuri ) is a fountain in the center of Rome on the Piazza del Quirinale in front of the Quirinale Palace, the official residence of the Italian President.

The fountain consists today of a round basin and is flanked right and left with the statues of the eponymous Dioscuri Castor and Pollux, the two keep coming horses in check. The bronze reins, however, are not preserved. Between them stands the Obelisco del Quirinale.

The Quirinal Hill is due to the monumental horses popularly known as Monte Cavallo ( Horse Hill).

History

The 5.6 meter high statues of the Dioscuri with their steeds originally belonged to the temple of Serapis, the Caracalla 217 was built below the present installation location. Later, at the latest after the restoration after the earthquake of 443, they were transferred to the Baths of Constantine.

1469-1470, Pope Paul II restored the monumental sculptures. In 1585 they were, as part of a first well, set at the instigation of Pope Sixtus V in the line of sight to the Porta Pia. As of 1780, Pope Pius VI. make the new space by the architect Giovanni Antinori. He had the obelisk originally stood at the entrance of the Augustusmausoleums, 1786 up to the Quirinalsplatz and flank of the Dioscuri.

1818 was again added to the initiative of Pope Pius VII a fountain basin. The architect Raffaele Stern used for a fountain basin of granite, which comes from the Roman Forum.