Perugia - Fontana Maggiore

Perugia was an Umbrian settlement that became a Roman colonia around 250 BC. In 547 Totila´s Ostrogoth troops looted the city after a long siege. Legends tell, that Perugia´s bishop Herculanus, who negotiated with Totila in behalf of his folks, got beheaded by the Ostrogoths, making St. Herculanus (aka "Sant' Ercolano") to the city´s patron saint.

In the 9th century it passed under the popes, but within the 11th it century gained independency. After a long conflict, in 1370 the city signed a treaty accepting a papal legate, but already 5 years later the vicar-general of the Papal States was expelled by a popular uprising. During the Italian Wars Perugia passed through many hands until Condottiero Braccio da Montone reached a concordance with the Papacy. It did not bring peace to the city, but led to the "Salt War" in 1540, that had started as a protest against paying new taxes on salt. The papal troops forced a surrender.


-

The Fontana Maggiore is located on the "Piazza IV Novembre" (ex "Piazza Grande") between the cathedral (background) and the Palazzo dei Priori (my POV). It was created between 1277 and 1278 by the famous sculptors Nicola Pisano and his son Giovanni Pisano, known for their works in Pisa and Siena.

Once the place was occupied by the bishop´s citadel. After the demolition of the citadel, the fountain got erected here as a symbol of the free city. The Fontana Maggiore is considered one of the finest still existing medieval fountains.

On the twenty-five sides of the lower basin are sculptures representing prophets and saints, the labors of the months, the signs of the zodiac, scenes from Genesis, and events from Roman history.


Here are two of the seven liberal arts ("septem artes liberales"). To the left, holding a compass, is the GEOMETRIA. To the right, playing a carillon, is the MUSICA.