Fontana Maggiore

About this place

The Fontana Maggiore, a masterpiece of medieval sculpture, placed in the centre of Piazza IV Novembre, is the monument symbol of the city of Perugia. The monumental fountain was designed by Frà Bevignate da Cingoli and built between 1275 and 1277 to celebrate the arrival of water in the acropolis of the city, by means of the new aqueduct. Bevignate cooperated with Boninsegna Veneziano, a hydraulic engineer, who accomplished an incredible audacious endeavour, being able to carry the water coming several kilometres from Mount Pacciano without the help of pumps. By means of a forced pressure duct, he managed to let the water flow uphill. Walk through the space as well as around its edges. The relationship between buildings, entrances and routes reveals how everyday life was organised, and why preserving a historic setting involves more than protecting individual monuments.