Turtle Fountain — Attraction in Rome

In a small square in Rome called Piazza Mattei, there’s a lovely little fountain with four young men and… four turtles. Yep — it’s called the Turtle Fountain, or Fontana delle Tartarughe.

It was built in the late 1500s, around 1581–1588, by the architect Giacomo della Porta, and the amazing bronze figures were sculpted by Taddeo Landini. But here’s the twist: the turtles — the most iconic part — were probably added later, maybe by Bernini, during a restoration in the 1650s.

Now, here comes the legend. The Mattei family, one of the most powerful noble families in Rome, lived right next to the square. One version of the story says that Duke Muzio Mattei had the fountain built overnight to impress the father of a noblewoman he wanted to marry. The next morning, he supposedly opened the window and said: “Look what I made — in one night!”

True or not, it’s a great tale. And the fountain really is a gem — small, elegant, with water gently flowing from the shells and turtles climbing the edge. A hidden treasure in the heart of Rome. In una piccola piazza del centro di Roma, Piazza Mattei, c’è una fontana deliziosa con quattro giovani e… quattro tartarughe. Si chiama proprio Fontana delle Tartarughe.

Fu costruita tra il 1581 e il 1588 su progetto di Giacomo della Porta, uno dei grandi architetti del Rinascimento romano. Le sculture in bronzo furono realizzate da Taddeo Landini. Ma le tartarughe — il dettaglio più famoso — furono aggiunte dopo, probabilmente da Bernini durante un restauro nel Seicento.

E ora la leggenda! Il palazzo accanto era della potente famiglia Mattei. Si racconta che il duca Muzio Mattei fece costruire la fontana in una sola notte per stupire il padre di una ragazza che voleva sposare. Il giorno dopo, aprì la finestra e disse: “Guardi cosa ho fatto… in una notte sola!”

Vera o no, è una storia bellissima. E la fontana è un piccolo gioiello: elegante, armoniosa, con l’acqua che scorre dolcemente e le tartarughe che sembrano arrampicarsi sui bordi. تو یه میدون کوچیک به اسم پیاتزا ماتّی وسط رم، یه فواره‌ی خیلی قشنگ هست با چهار پسر برنزی و… چهار تا لاک‌پشت! اسمش هست فواره لاک‌پشت‌ها (Fontana delle Tartarughe).

این فواره بین ۱۵۸۱ تا ۱۵۸۸ ساخته شد. طراحش جاکومو دلا پورتا بود، و مجسمه‌های برنزی رو تادئو لاندینی ساخت. اما نکته جالب اینه که لاک‌پشت‌ها بعداً اضافه شدن، شاید توسط برنینی توی یه بازسازی توی قرن هفده.

اما قسمت قشنگ داستان مربوط به خانواده ماتّی می‌شه. می‌گن موتزیو ماتّی، یکی از اشراف معروف، این فواره رو یه شبه ساخت تا پدر دختر مورد علاقه‌ش رو تحت تأثیر قرار بده. صبح، پنجره رو باز کرد و گفت: “ببین چی ساختم… فقط تو یه شب!”

راست باشه یا نه، داستان قشنگیه. فواره هم یه اثر کوچیک ولی فوق‌العاده‌ست — پر از جزئیات، آب ملایم، و لاک‌پشت‌هایی که دارن از فواره بالا می‌رن. یه گنج...

Felling in love in The fountain of the Turtles located in The square Mattei takes its name from the palace of Giacomo Mattei, the oldest of the five buildings containing the so-called "Mattei island", together with those of Mattei di Giove, Mattei di Paganica and Alessandro Mattei (now Caetani). The fountain designed by Giacomo della Porta architect, The fountain of the Tortoises was built in 1581-1588 and decorated with four delicate bronze youths surmounting four dolphins by the Florentine sculptor Taddeo Landini the turtles by Jean Lorenzo Bernini. The monument represents a unique creation of artistic world of XVI century in Rome. The sculptures of youths and dolphins appear to be the most impressive feature of the fountain compared with its architectural style with its elaborate display of polychrome precious marble varieties: “bigio antico” for the upper basin, “pavonazzetto” for the balaustre, “africano” for the shells. These decorative elements gem of Manierist Art. Afther the restoration of the ancient Acqua Vergine Aqueduct, the “ Camera Capitolina”, the Council of the Capitoline Township, in 1570 decided for a comprehensive fountain building program designed by the architect Giacomo della Porta, which would include numerous monumental fountains. According to the program a fountain was to be a place was in Piazza Mattei, insisted that the fountain be moved to this square, in turn he promised to pave the square at his own expenses and keep the...

January 2023: In Rione XI - Sant'Angelo, a few steps from the Old Jewish Quarter, surrounded by the palaces that once belonged to the noble Mattei family who gave the square its name, stands one of the most beautiful fountains in Rome. The Fountain of the Turtles was built between 1581 and 1588 on a project by Giacomo della Porta (1533-1602).

The history of the fountain comes from a romantic fable. According to legend, Duke Mattei, a gambler, lost his entire family fortune in one fell swoop. The future father-in-law, therefore, refused to give him his daughter in marriage. In response, the duke had this magnificent artwork built in a single night. The following day he invited his betrothed and her father to the palace to show them the fountain. He exclaimed: "This is what a penniless Mattei can accomplish in a few hours!". In memory of the episode, he had the window from which they looked out to admire the fountain walled up.

Among rich decorations in polychrome marble, four bronze children ride dolphins on shell-shaped tanks sculpted by Florentine Taddeo Landini (1550-1596). From 1658, they "play" with the turtles, added to the fountain by Gian...