Fontana Maggiore (Great Fountain), Perugia (must see)

Boninsegna Veneziano had done a miracle. It was a miracle of hydraulics. He had made water flow uphill without pumps. The water came from Monte Pacciano by means of a forced pressure duct. It arrived at the acropolis of the city through the new aqueduct. In 1275 fra Bevignate da Cingoli built the Great Fountain to celebrate.

The fountain, made of stones from Assisi, was preassembled in a workshop and moved to the square in sections. It is made of of two concentric polygonal marble basins. There is a bronze cup at the top holding a group of nymphs spouting water. The lower basin has 25 mirrors, each divided into two tiles describing the signs of the Zodiac.

In the upper basin 24 statues represent saints, mythological and biblical figures. There is Augusta Perugia, holding her cornucopia, she offers wheat. Domina Iacus, the nymph of Lake Trasimeno has fish. There are the characters of the city, Saints Peter and Paul and naturally, John the Baptist, who makes the water sacred.

In the lowest frame there is an invitation in Italian: "Look, you who pass by this fountain with its bubbling, if you look closer you can see wonderful things."