Fontanna della Vergogna (Fountain of Shame), Palermo (must see)

The monumental fountain, crowded with nude figures, gods, animals, and mythological creatures, was originally designed as a garden fountain in Florence. It was commissioned around 1554 by Luigi de Toledo, a Florentine nobleman. When Luigi later ran into serious financial trouble, he was forced to sell the fountain.

The work was designed by the Florentine sculptor Francesco Camilliani and originally consisted of dozens of statues arranged around concentric basins, connected by an elaborate hydraulic system. Because of its size and complexity, the fountain had to be dismantled, shipped by sea, and reassembled. Despite the challenges, the Senate of Palermo purchased the fountain in 1573, convinced it would lend prestige to the city.

An outer stone ring encloses a water-filled basin, separated from the central area by a shallow moat. Stone steps bridge the water, allowing visitors to enter the inner circle. Here, classical deities preside over the scene, while animals and fantastical figures populate the lower levels, many of them designed as water spouts, with open mouths spraying jets of water.

In Palermo, however, the fountain’s reception was mixed. During the 18th and 19th centuries, its abundance of nude figures clashed with local sensibilities. Popular tradition claims that nearby nuns damaged some statues by breaking off anatomically explicit details. A more convincing explanation links the nickname to the Praetorian Palace itself, which by that time had become a symbol of municipal corruption and misrule. The naked statues were seen as a satirical mirror of shameless civic life.

In the end, both interpretations stuck. The square became known as Pretoria Square, while the fountain earned its enduring nickname: the Fountain of Shame.