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All images © by Roberto Piperno, owner of the domain. Write to romapip@quipo.it. Text edited by Rosamie Moore.
Page revised in May 2010.

To the Italian visitors of my web site

Fonte dell'Acqua Acetosa (Book 5)

In this page:
The plate by Giuseppe Vasi
Today's view
Fontana dell'Acqua Acetosa

The Plate (No. 83 - ii)

The fountain of Acqua Acetosa

In this plate Giuseppe Vasi shows people going to a mineral spring which was known for its beneficial effects; aceto means vinegar and acetosa is the derived adjective. Drinking Acqua Acetosa was very popular, however in the text of Book V which accompanies this etching Giuseppe Vasi wrote that the mineral water violenta è nell'operare (has a too forceful effect) and that in general doctors were against its use. The spring was located near a beach of the Tiber and it was surrounded by trees, so the site attracted many picnickers.
J. W. Goethe was happy with the effects of Acqua Acetosa; in summer 1787 he wrote: "The heat is terrific. I get up at dawn and walk to the Acqua Acetosa, a mineral spring about half an hour's walk from the Porta del Popolo, where I live. There I drink the water, which tastes like a weak Schwalbacher (*), but is very effective. (...) The variety, misty transparency and colouring of this landscape drives me wild with joy." (Italien Reisen - Translation by W. H. Auden and Elizabeth Mayer - Collins).
(*) Schwalbacher is a mineral spring at Schwalbach am Taunus near Frankfurt am Main in Germany.
In the description below the plate Vasi made reference to: 1) Beach on the Tiber; 2) Street leading to Rome. The small 1883 map shows: 1) Fontana dell'Acqua Acetosa; 2) Ponte Milvio (Molle).

Small ViewSmall MapSmall Map

Today

The fountain today
The view in May 2010

In the XVIIIth century Acqua Acetosa was a far away location whereas today it is close to very busy roads. After years of neglect the XVIIth century fountain has been recently cleaned and a small closed garden protects it from being vandalized with graffiti.

Fontana dell'Acqua Acetosa

Interior of the fountain
(left) Interior of the fountain; (right) inscriptions by Pope Paul V (above) and Pope Clement XI (below)

The oldest inscription of the fountain is by Pope Paul V and it says that the spring, in addition to being beneficial for loins and stomach, "Mille (a thousand) Malis (diseases) Prodest (is useful for) Ista (this) Salubris (saluber) Aqua (water)".
The current fountain was built in 1661 during the pontificate of Pope Alexander VII and for a long time it was attributed to Gian Lorenzo Bernini, but more likely it was designed by Andrea Sacchi, who is best known for his paintings.
Pope Alexander VII wanted to be remembered for having promoted the construction of the fountain, which therefore was decorated with his heraldic symbols: six mountains and one star (which you can also see in the image used as background for this page).

The coat of arms
Inscription and coat of arms of Pope Alexander VII

Due to pollution of the aquifer layer, the water of the fountain is no longer that of the mineral spring, but ordinary drinkable water.

Next plate in Book 5: Ponte Milvio