San Petronio
Bologna, Italy
Fountain of Neptune, Bologna
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Photo: Marcok - it.wikipedia.org, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Free, 24 hours
- Hours
- Open square, 24 hours
- Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 20 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Artists
- Giambologna (statue), Tommaso Laureti (fountain)
- Built
- 1563–1566
- Nearby
- Piazza Maggiore, San Petronio, Sala Borsa
- Time needed
- 15–20 minutes
- Location
- Piazza del Nettuno, central Bologna
Key facts
1563–1566the fountain was built
Sourcei
English WikipediaGiambolognacast the bronze Neptune
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English Wikipedia'The Giant'the Bolognese nickname for the statue
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English Wikipedia2017–2018a major restoration
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English WikipediaNereidswater jets spout from them at the base
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English WikipediaHistory of the fountain
The fountain was commissioned in the 1560s as Bologna smartened up the new centre beside Piazza Maggiore. The architect Tommaso Laureti designed the fountain, and the young Flemish sculptor Giambologna, later famous in Florence, cast the bronze Neptune. Work ran from 1563 to 1566.
Neptune stands on a tall pedestal, legs apart and one arm stretched over the square as if calming the waves. Locals promptly nicknamed him 'the Giant'. The fountain was more than decoration: it announced that the city had a new water supply and could afford such a luxury.
What to look for
Walk all the way round. At the corners of the basin sit bronze nereids, sea nymphs spouting jets of water, with putti holding dolphins between them. The pedestal bears the arms of the popes and the city who paid for the work.
Neptune himself looks completely different from each side of the square, now a stern lord of the sea, now a calmly standing hero. Many guides point out a particular spot from which the figure looks rather comical, so ask on a tour. Since the 2017–2018 restoration the bronze gleams again and every jet runs.
What to see at the fountain
- Giambologna's Neptune — the bronze Giant with his trident.
- Nereids and putti — bronze figures round the basin.
- Piazza del Nettuno — next to Piazza Maggiore.
- Palazzo d'Accursio — the town hall behind the fountain.
- Sala Borsa — a library with a glass floor over ruins.
- San Petronio Basilica — a step away.
Piazza Maggiore and the centre
The fountain stands on little Piazza del Nettuno, which opens into the city's main square, Piazza Maggiore, home to San Petronio and its unfinished front, the Palazzo d'Accursio town hall and Palazzo del Podestà with its whispering gallery.
The Asinelli and Garisenda towers are five minutes away, and behind the town hall begins the old Quadrilatero market of cheese, ham and fresh-pasta shops and little trattorias serving tortellini and the famous Bolognese sauce, which locals simply call ragù.
How to get to the Fountain of Neptune
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Where are you starting from?
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On foot
- San Petronio is about 2 min away on foot.
- Towers of Bologna is about 5 min away on foot.
More tips
- The fountain is on Piazza del Nettuno, next to Piazza Maggiore.
- From Bologna Centrale station, 20 minutes on foot along Via Indipendenza, or a bus to Via Rizzoli.
- From the Two Towers, 5 minutes.
- The centre is closed to cars, so walking is easiest.
Tips for your visit
The fountain is loveliest in the evening, when it's lit and students and musicians gather. By day the surrounding steps are a good place to rest with a gelato. Bathing in the fountain or climbing it is banned and fined.
For a good photo, step back to the San Petronio steps, where the fountain stands against the town hall and its tower. Children enjoy finding all the bronze nereids and putti and counting the jets.
Before you go
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Places in Bologna: compare and choose
Places in Bologna rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Towers of Bologna | 51 | 30 min | Free outside | 5 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Petronio | 48 | 45 min | Free | 3 min walk |
| Fountain of Neptuneyou are here | 45 | 20 min | Free | — |
Central Bologna in half a day
The Fountain of Neptune, San Petronio on Piazza Maggiore, then the towers.
- Fountain of Neptuneyou are here20 min · Free
- 3 min walk from the previous stopSan Petronio45 min · Free
- 5 min walk from the previous stopTowers of Bologna30 min · Free outside
3 places · about 1 h 43 min with walks · 8 min on foot in total
Nearby and on the way
Towers of Bologna
Bologna, Italy
How to do it right
- Free, open around the clock.
- Lit up at night.
- The Sala Borsa is next door.
- Photos from the San Petronio steps.
Questions
Who made the Fountain of Neptune in Bologna?
Giambologna cast the statue; Tommaso Laureti designed the fountain, in 1563–1566.
Where is the Fountain of Neptune?
On Piazza del Nettuno next to Piazza Maggiore, in central Bologna.
Why is Neptune called 'the Giant'?
Locals gave the huge bronze statue the nickname as soon as it went up.
What's near the Fountain of Neptune?
Piazza Maggiore, San Petronio, the town hall and the glass-floored Sala Borsa library.
How long do you need at the fountain?
15 to 20 minutes; about an hour with Piazza Maggiore.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
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Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia: Fountain of Neptune, Bologna
- Official tourism site, bolognawelcome.com
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