Fontana di Piazza San Pietro

The fountain in Piazza San Pietro in Frascati forms part of the town's historic civic and religious centre beside the cathedral.

Why it matters

The fountain contributes to the architectural ensemble of Piazza San Pietro, where water, civic space and religious architecture come together. Local tradition associates its construction with the craftsmen who built the cathedral.

What to notice

The fountain occupies the open side of the square, opposite the cathedral facade of peperino and travertine. The cathedral's paired bell towers and sculpted portal form the architectural backdrop. The square's arrangement also reflects the historic relationship between the church, seminary and episcopal buildings.

Context and history

Frascati developed on the slope below ancient Tusculum after that city's destruction in 1191. The settlement was reshaped in the sixteenth century, when Paul III granted it city status as Tusculum Novum. Construction of the cathedral dedicated to Saint Peter began in 1598. A local tradition holds that the cathedral's builders donated the fountain to the town; no precise date or maker is documented for the basin.