Piazza Trilussa - Trastevere
Located in the heart of Trastevere, in front of Ponte Sisto, between Lungotevere della Farnesina and Lungotevere Raffaello Sanzio, this charming little square is dedicated to the great Roman satirical poet Carlo Alberto Salustri, better known as Trilussa.
Here stands the beautiful Acqua Paola fountain by architects Van Santen, known as Vasanzio, and Giovanni Fontana, commissioned by Pope Paul V Borghese (1605-1620) in 1613 to supply the districts of Trastevere, Borgo, Regola and Ponte.
Conceived as a monumental arch with a central niche where there are two Ionic columns, the fountain has a high attic on which the emblem of the Borghese family stands out, with an eagle and dragon, and a celebratory inscription dedicated to the pontiff, for having led water also to the left bank of the Tiber. It originally stood at the end of Via Giulia, near the Ospizio dei Mendicanti built by Pope Sixtus V Peretti (1585-1590), and drew water from the Trajan-Paul aqueduct.
The fountain was dismantled in 1870 for the construction of the Tiber embankments after a disastrous flood. Nearly half of the pieces broke or were divided among various municipal warehouses, and when it was rebuilt in 1898 in Trilussa Square, architect Vescovali could only use what little was left of it. However, the result was remarkable: the fountain was rebuilt in a raised position above street level and on the top of a flight of fifteen steps, in axis with Ponte Sisto and in visual connection with the imposing Acqua Paola exhibit located on the top of the Janiculum Hill.
Located IN the square, is also the monument celebrating the great Roman poet who gives it its name. Born in Rome in 1871 and died here in 1950, Trilussa was famous for his ironic poems berating corrupt politicians, all fanaticism, and the scheming of the powerful, among his favorite targets.
naugurated on Dec. 21, 1954, the statue depicts the poet intent on declaiming his poems, and was created by sculptor Lorenzo Ferri in bronze. Next to the monument can be read verses in Roman dialect from All'ombra, one of the poetic compositions that best represent the witty writer's personality and disenchanted outlook.
Piazza Trilussa is one of the most beloved meeting places for young Romans and tourists alike, thanks to the bars and cozy atmosphere that characterize it.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)