The Neptune Fountain is a historical monument in Trieste, erected in the XVIII century during the full Asburgico period and closely connected to the urban development of the city under the domination of the Impero Asburgico.
Origins and Construction
The origins of the fountain date back to 1750-1755, when the first artillery lieutenant engineer Giovanni Corrado de Gerhard, director of the Commissione alle Fabbriche, signed the contract with the Bergamasco architect Giovanni Mazzoleni to build the fountain next to the Canal Piccolo.
The work was born as part of a broader project to enhance the city's water supply:
- Restoration of the Roman aqueduct, damaged by the Longobards;
- Creation of public fountains that would quench the population's thirst and water the livestock.
Location and Artistic Features
The fountain was placed in the then piazza della Dogana, today Piazza della Borsa, at the time an extra-urban area still open to the sea via the Canal Piccolo, later filled in for the construction of the Palazzo della Borsa (1802-1806).
The sculptural group, composed of Nettuno flanked by three sea horses dispensing water, represents a typical example of eighteenth-century art inspired by mythology and public function.
The Asburgico Period
The Asburgico period saw the monument placed in a context of economic and architectural growth in Trieste, a free port city of primary importance.
On the social level, the fountain still served in 1887 as:
- Water collection point;
- Daily meeting place, especially for the women of the borgo who used it to wash clothes.
The First Post-War Period and Transformations
In the first post-war period, amid the political and social transformations resulting from the end of the Impero Austro-Ungarico and the Italian annexation, the fountain suffered a distinct fate:
- In June 1920 it was removed from Piazza della Borsa, by decision of the Municipality which initially planned its definitive demolition;
- Thanks to the passionate defense of Triestine artists, the demolition was avoided during the 1920s;
- A restoration promoted by the sculptor Marcello Mascherini was carried out.
Restoration and Relocation
In 1951 the fountain was reinaugurated and relocated to Piazza Venezia, in a small welcoming and well-kept city garden, remaining there until more recent times before returning to its historical location in Piazza della Borsa.
Historical Significance
Its historical vicissitudes reflect the multiple urban and social transformations of Trieste: from the Asburgica city to the Italian one, passing through significant events such as the cessation of Austrian domination and the consolidation of the new national identity, always maintaining its symbolic and artistic value.
- The inscription engraved on the basin in 1951* emblematically recounts the eventful life and public role of the fountain, a precious testimony of the past and a historical-cultural reference point for enthusiasts, students, and tourists.