Description of the attraction
The Maggiore Fountain is a majestic medieval fountain located in Piazza Grande, also known as Piazza 4 November, between the Cathedral of San Lorenzo and Palazzo dei Priori in Perugia. Several people worked on it in 1277-1278 at once. Thus, the local monk Bevignate da Cignoli developed the project of two multilateral concentric marble basins topped with a bronze bowl. The hydraulic system was designed by another monk - Bonisenya Veneziano. The bronze bowl itself, adorned with statues of nymphs, is the work of the Perugian sculptor Rosso Padellio. Finally, Nicolo Pisano and his youngest son Giovanni Pisano worked on the creation of the sculptures located on the fountain.
The fountain was part of a beautification program for Perugia, begun in the second half of the 13th century, to coincide with the construction of a new aqueduct that brought water from Mount Pacciano, a few kilometers from the city, to the very center of Perugia. In 1348 the building was seriously damaged by an earthquake, but was later rebuilt.
On the 25 sides of the pool you can see 50 bas-reliefs depicting various prophets and saints, patrons of the months of the year, signs of the zodiac, scenes from the Book of Genesis, events from the history of Ancient Rome and Perugia, and 24 sculptures. The general view of the fountain is distinguished by the harmony and elegance of lines, as well as priceless decorations. The first large-scale restoration work was carried out in the middle of the 20th century, and the last - in the early 1990s, as a result of which the entire structure regained its former splendor.
