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Fountain of the Bees
The inscription on this shell almost prophesied a pope's death. In 1644, Bernini carved Urban VIII's twenty-second year, then changed it to twenty-first. Eight days later, the pope died before reaching year twenty-two. Those three marble bees represent the Barberini family crest, and this fountain was built to water horses right where Via Veneto enters Piazza Barberini. But here's the macabre part: for centuries, unidentified dead bodies were displayed here hoping locals would recognize them. And the fountain itself vanished in 1865, sat damaged in a warehouse for fifty years, and wasn't reconstructed until 1915 using marble salvaged from a demolished gate.
Did You Know?
- The **Fontana delle Api**, or Fountain of the Bees, was commissioned by Pope Urban VIII Barberini in 1644. It was designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini as a small public fountain and featured three bees, symbolizing the Barberini family crest. The fountain was initially used as a watering trough for horses and was meant to complement Bernini's larger **Triton Fountain** nearby.
- The fountain has a rich history, having been dismantled in 1865 due to traffic concerns and later rebuilt in 1915 by Adolfo Apolloni. During its reconstruction, travertine was used instead of the original Luna marble, and it was placed at the entrance to Via Veneto from Piazza Barberini.
- The **Fontana delle Api** holds cultural significance as a testament to the Barberini family's influence in Rome. It is also a subject of Roman irony, as the bees were said to collect much water but pour very little, symbolizing the government's perceived inefficiency at the time.