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The Triton Fountain is in the centre of the famous Piazza Barberini which, announced on the 9th
September,1642, formed the main item of urban modernisation of the older "Piazza
Grimana", the
vast area at the top of the residential area (called "Head of the Houses"), dominated by the sumptuous home which, Bernini himself, had shortly before completed for the Barberini's on the
model of the "Sun PaIace".
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The "Singing Triton"
sits on the enormous shell, in the centre of the fountain,
to play the bugle which through a strange quirk of nature,
emits a roaring jet of water, symbol of prosperity, instead
of a shriII note.
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The Fontana delle Api [fountain
of the bees], used as a water trough for horses on the corner
of Via Sistina, was inaugurated in 1644 shortly before the
death of the Pontiff. Dismantled in 1865 and arbitrarily
re-assembled at the beginning of Via Veneto in an isolated
position using the only surviving item (the central part of
the shell with one of the three bees), was inaugurated in
January, 1916.
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