Fontana del Timone - Fountain of the Helm

The charming fountain situated against the large San Michele a Ripa complex, a short distance from Porta Portese, dates from the late 1920s and is the brainchild of the architect and sculptor Pietro Lombardi.

In 1926, the City of Rome had commissioned the sculptor to design a series of artistic drinking fountains intended to embellish Rome’s districts, replacing the cast-iron “nasoni”, which were considered unsightly and unsuitable for the city’s historic center. The nine small works of art he created drew inspiration from ancient banners, emblems and the elements most characteristic of each Rione, in order to highlight their historical identity. These are the Fontana dei Libri (Fountain of Books) in Rione Sant'Eustachio; the Fontana delle Palle di Cannone (Fountain of the Cannon Balls) and the Fontana delle Tiare (Fountain of the Tiaras) in Borgo; the Fontana delle Anfore (Fountain of the Amphorae) in Rione Testaccio; the Fontana degli Artisti (Fountain of the Artists) in Rione Campo Marzio; the Fontana dei Monti (Fountain of the Mountains) in Rione Monti; the Fontana della Botte (Fountain of the Barrel) in Trastevere; the Fontana della Pigna (Fountain of the Pine Cone) in Rione Pigna; and this Fontana del Timone.

The fountain draws its inspiration from the coat of arms of the Rione Ripa (although it is situated in the Rione Trastevere) and from nautical motifs, evoking the maritime activities that took place in the river port of Ripa Grande until the final decades of the nineteenth century. Made entirely of travertine and set on a porphyry plinth, it consists mainly of a helm and a tiller, from which water flows into a semi-circular basin. The two small columns on either side resemble the mooring posts used for tying up boats: at their center, two spouts pour drinking water into the underground collection tank. On either side of the rudder are two municipal coats of arms bearing the initials S.P.Q.R.