Fontana del Pantheon

Pope Gregory XIII commissioned the Fontana del Pantheon in the Piazza della Rotonda, Rome, before the Roman Pantheon.

The Fontana del Pantheon was designed by Giacomo Della Porta in 1575 and sculpted out of marble by Leonardo Sormani.

In 1711, Pope Clement XI commissioned the young Roman sculptor and architect Filippo Barigoni to modify the fountain’s design radically. An ancient Egyptian obelisk, dating back to the reign of Ramesses II, was set up on a plinth in the center.

The plinth is decorated with four water-spouting dolphins and the pope’s coat of arms. Barigoni also created a new base, which has a variable number of steps in response to the incline of the piazza.

In 1886, the original marble figures were removed and replaced with copies by Luigi Amici. Today, the originals can be seen in the Museum of Rome.

References: Wikipedia and Walks in Rome