It can be reached in one of two ways: either going towards Janiculum Hill from the Vatican, or taking the steps from Trastevere. We will not encounter throngs of tourists here (for the time being), however our eyes will be delighted with a beautiful view of Rome with its ochre color scheme, church domes, with a panorama of the Alban Hills in the background. As early as the XIX century it was possible to meet “slim Englishmen and square-built Germans, agape with traditional admiration, or consulting their guidebooks in order to identify the monuments”, as Emil Zola wrote. And that has not changed today, with one exception – among the tourists one can see visitors from Asia. The second attraction apart from the beautiful view, is the aforementioned Baroque fountain situated in an enormous water basin. It was built during the pontificate of Paul V and it is thanks to him that it acquired its name. The pope rebuilt an old aqueduct, from the times of Emperor Trajan, thus allowing water to reach distant parts of the city. As a coronation of this work, but also a representative finishing of the water tract, the said fountain was created. The necessary material was acquired from ancient structures – marble slabs from the Forum of Nerva, while the granite columns set on high pedestals – from the former St. Peter’s Basilica (San Pietro in Vaticano), erected by Emperor Constantine the Great, and recreated anew in the XVI and XVII centuries. These columns flank three smaller and three larger niches, from which water descends into an enormous basin.

Above the cornice there is an extensive inscription, commemorating the work of Pope Paul V. From it, we can learn that the water flowing here, comes from the area of Bracciano, has healing properties and flows through the old Aqua Alsietina. On the bottom there is also information about the fact that the fountain was created in 1612 – in the seventh year of the pope’s pontificate. The whole is finished off with the Borghese family coat of arms (an eagle and a dragon), with papal insignia, adored by two angels. The motif of dragons and eagles, a repeating element of the fountain, can be seen in many places – It is worth counting them – as it is perhaps the greatest amount of dragons in one place in the Eternal City – although I am not certain.