Piazza Ebalia

Piazza Ebalia is a square in Taranto's Borgo Umbertino, centred on the Rosa dei Venti fountain. Built in 1953, the fountain represents the Mediterranean winds through eight carved stone heads and a surrounding ring of water jets.

Why it matters

The fountain brought a civic landmark to a quarter shaped by the public and institutional buildings of the early twentieth century. Its maritime imagery reflects Taranto's relationship with the two seas and its history as a port city.

What to notice

Eight stone heads represent the winds of Levante, Scirocco, Ostro, Libeccio, Ponente, Maestrale, Borea and Grecale. Twenty-one jets ring the basin, with a taller spout at the centre. The rim carries the Latin phrase “Et quidem, cum fortiter adversa vela ventis,” rendered by the municipal portal as an encouragement to sail bravely against adverse winds. Nearby buildings include the former Bank of Italy, the Casa del Fascio and the Palazzo delle Poste.

Context and history

The Rosa dei Venti fountain was inaugurated in 1953 in the developing Borgo Nuovo. A heritage project attributes its design to architect Brunetti and records a restoration in the 1990s. The square and its fountain form a post-war civic layer among Taranto's interwar institutional architecture.