Fontana della Pigna, Rimini

Fontana della Pigna, Rimini

The Fontana della Pigna or simply Pigna ("The Pinecone") is a former Roman fountain which now decorates a vast niche in the wall of the Vatican facing the Cortile della Pigna, located in Vatican City.

Composed of a large bronze pinecone almost four metres high which once spouted water from the top, the Pigna originally stood near the Pantheon next to the Temple of Isis. It was moved to the courtyard of the old St. Peter's Basilica during the Middle Ages and then moved again, in 1608, to its present location.

The courtyard where it stands was originally part of the Cortile del Belvedere, designed by Donato Bramante to connect the palace of Pope Innocent VIII with the Sistine Chapel. When Bramante died, architect Pirro Ligorio finished the project and added the wall and niche to close the courtyard. Construction of the Vatican Library divided the Cortile del Belvedere into two areas. The upper part of the courtyard, the Cortile della Pigna, takes its name from the fountain. The bronze peacocks on either side of the fountain are copies of those decorating the tomb of the Emperor Hadrian, now the Castel Sant'Angelo. The original peacocks are in the Braccio Nuovo Museum.
Sight description based on Wikipedia.

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Fontana della Pigna on Map

Sight Name: Fontana della Pigna
Sight Location: Rimini, Italy (See walking tours in Rimini)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark

Walking Tours in Rimini, Italy

Create Your Own Walk in Rimini

Create Your Own Walk in Rimini

Creating your own self-guided walk in Rimini is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Rimini Introduction Walking Tour

Rimini Introduction Walking Tour

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The city was an all-important junction. The ancient Roman road, via Flaminia, ended in Rimini at the Arch of Augustus, erected in 27 BC. Another old Roman...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles
Federico Fellini Trail

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Fellini lived in Rimini from January 1920, when he was born, until January 1939, when he moved out to Rome. While...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles