al Żigànt - the Giant with a secret

The Fontana del Nettuno (Fountain of Neptune) has been nicknamed “al Żigànt” in dialect ("the Giant") by the Bolognese because of the size of the statue of Neptune. The fountain made of marble and bronze, was built between 1563 and 1566 by the Flemish sculptor Giambologna on a project by the Italian Tommaso Laureti. It is a symbol of the power of the Pope who ruled the world like Neptune ruled the seas. At the feet of the statue, in fact, lie four little angels, representing Gange, the Nile, the Amazon and Danube, i.e. the rivers of the continents known at the time. The trident of the Neptune's statue inspired and it was used by Maserati brothers as emblem for their first car, the Maserati Tipo 26. The logo was realized in 1920 by one of the brothers, Mario Maserati, at the suggestion of a family friend, Marquis Diego de Sterlich. This is still today the logo of the Maserati car company. The fountain and its sculpture are one of the most iconic symbols of the city and references to them can be found in many symbols, commercials and logos. This includes the historical students' fraternity (Goliardia) "Excelsa Neptuni Balla", on whose emblem figure two tridents. The Bolognese anecdote also tells of a particular expedient implemented by Giambologna, who intended to find a way to make Neptune with realistic genitals, without being discovered and admonished by the Church. The sculptor designed the statue in such a way that from a particular angle the thumb of Neptune's outstretched hand seems to emerge directly from the lower abdomen, making him suggest the (erect) genital; as proof of the same, in the pavement of the square there is a black stone, also called "of shame" placed in a very specific point in piazza del Nettuno (to be precise at the foot of the entrance stairway to the Salaborsa library) which facilitates its vision. #travelinspiration #momentsmission #decembertravel # #unforgettableexperiences #scenicspotguide #summervacation #springholiday