Beautiful fountain situated in the middle of the street, on one corner of Piazza Maggiore. It's definitely a sight and there's plenty of sculptures that can be admired on all faces and sides of the fountain. The water feature itself isn't the most spectacular but the sculptures are fantastic!

Beautiful fountain with statues and nice sculptures.

The Neptune is ok. But I like the attitude of the Ladies.

Amazing statue, amazing city! According to a local saying, if you are a student and want to get into your university of choice, you have to walk two laps clockwise around the statue, and you shall get into the university.

An interesting game of illusion and perspective. According to the story, the client (the Pope) asked Giambologna to diminish Neptune's masculinity. This one did, BUT, he positioned Neptune's hand so that when viewed from the back at a certain angle, it shows his manhood in full force. The author's idea was realized to an even greater extent, albeit covertly and passively. An interesting piece of information from a time when many things were forbidden to say, but were said anyway. Cool.

Such a nice piece of art. You will definitely see it since it is in the middle of the Piazza Maggiore. Everyone goes there to take pictures so expect the place to be a bit crowded

Master piece. The view is spectacular both at night and in the day light. The women figures have a different vibe as they are out of standards in their poses. One of my best sculptures I have seen in Italy. Many small restaurants and cafes around the fountain. The piazza next to it is a little bit empty that can have some sun umbrellas or shadow areas

Did you know that Maserati car manufacturer logo comes from this fountain ?)

Piazza Nettuno is located in the heart of Bologna, Italy, and is one of the city's most famous public squares. At the center of the square stands a magnificent statue known as the "Fountain of Neptune" (Fontana del Nettuno), sculpted by the renowned Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini between 1567 and 1568. The statue depicts Neptune, the Roman god of the sea, standing on dolphins and rearing sea-horses while holding a trident, symbolizing the power and dominion over the oceans. The square holds a rich history and is surrounded by many ancient buildings and grand churches, such as the Basilica of San Petronio (San Petronio Basilica). Nearby, visitors can find numerous restaurants, cafes, and shops, where they can immerse themselves in the vibrant Italian cultural atmosphere. Piazza Nettuno frequently hosts various events and festival celebrations, attracting both locals and tourists alike. Taking a leisurely stroll here allows you to admire Bologna's ancient architecture and cultural heritage, experiencing the city's unique charm . In summary, Piazza Nettuno is a must-visit destination in Bologna, offering a glimpse into the city's history and cultural richness. Whether during the day or at night, the square exudes enchanting allure, making it well worth your time to explore and appreciate.

it is located right in the biggest square Piazza Maggiore. It is an amazing fountain to take pictures. There are replica in other cities across the globe and all are beautiful to look at.

In my opinion, the best place from Bologna

For me this is the heart of Bologna Beautiful statue/fountain in the centre of a picturesque square

You are certainly not gonna miss this fountain once you are in Bologna since it is located right in the biggest square Piazza Maggiore. I'm not gonna go into details how impressive it is since it was already mentioned in other reviews but we think this is such a nice place to hang out.

Beautiful fountain right next to the most important piazza of the city

A very beautiful fountain with the patron of Bologna, Neptune. Definitely a must see and you can't really miss it in the middle of the main square. there are a number of small cozy cafes nearby

Fontana del Nettuno in the Piazza Maggiore in the centro storico of Bologna is a very pretty functioning fountain that occupies a small part of the piazza. It goes right there with the Mannekin Pis from Brussels, Belgium since the nymphs shoot water from their breasts! Truly though quite beautiful and worth a stop.

It is one of the symbols of the city, but also a common landmark. For appointments the people of Bologna meet “under the Neptune“.

A huge and astonishing fountain, the whole history is visible of Neptunus, and every detail is professional.

This is a historical landmark in the Piazza Maggiore. One of the most popular monument in Bologna and should be check out.

A fine place to observe the many historic buildings and monuments it has to offer. Expect it to be crowded.

The Fountain of Neptune is a masterpiece of Mannerist sculpture, completed in 1565. Giambologna was a prominent Mannerist sculptor known for his innovative approach to form and composition. Mannerism, a style that emerged in the late Renaissance, is characterized by exaggerated poses, elongated human forms, and intricate detailing. The fountain was commissioned by the Cardinal Legate Charles Borromeo, to celebrate the recent election of Borromeo's uncle as Pope Pius IV.

Awesome statue. Not only by its cool looks, but as its located in the middle of the street, with its night ilumination it casts a huge shadow figure on the background stone wall, it's just amazing, gotta see it. There's also drinking water just beside it, although something quiet much common throughout all Italy indeed.

Made of marble and bronze, was built between 1563 and 1566 by the Flemish sculptor Giambologna. 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 logo of Maserati, the luxury sports car company founded in Bologna in 1914, is based on the trident of Neptune. This was considered especially appropriate not just because the Neptune Fountain is one of the main symbols of Bologna, but also because Neptune represents strength and vigor.

Another gorgeous day in Bologna at the Fountain of Neptune. You won't miss it if you come down from Via dell'Indipendenza. Beautiful music being play in the area adds to the ambience. Come and marvel at this gorgeous work built in 1500s. You can also google the R-rated secret about a fountain. Giggle a little and have fun! (July 2022)

Next to Basilica di San Petronio... On Piazza Maggiori .... Amazing piece of art work. Sure you will not miss it... There are replica in other cities across the globe .. but this is a piece of art ... Nice...

Arriving from the beautiful Via dell'Indipendenza to Piazza del Nettuno, we immediately notice a beautiful fountain. The Fountain of Neptune ( Fontana dell Nettuno) is a monumental civic fountain located in the eponymous square, Piazza del Nettuno, next to Piazza Maggiore. The fountain of Neptune is one of the symbols of Bologna. Originally Neptune fountain should have been set in the centre of Piazza Maggiore. But, during '500 century, Piazza Maggiore was a noisy open-air food market. In addition, many other events took place at Piazza Maggiore, so it was not suitable to place a fountain in that location. In 1563 Pio IV became Pope. He decided to build the fountain. To assert his power over Bologna and take back the reins of the city, he conceived a symbol. An imposing and severe God ( Neptune ), that with his left hand calms the waters beneath him, controls the rebel Bolognese people and brings water to the city. The statue was an early design by Giambologna, but the design and assembly of the fountain was completed by the Palermitan architect Tommaso Laureti in 1563. The fountain was completed in 1565. The base is decorated with pontifical emblems, ornaments that connected to four cherubs and which hold dolphins (which are allegorical representation of major rivers from the then-known corners of the world: the Ganges, the Nile, the Amazon River, and the Danube. In the centre of this base raises the majestic figure of the Neptune sculpted by Giambologna, the statue is a typical expressions of the manneristic theatricality. In the centre of the tank, there is a base where there are four Nereids who holding their breasts, from which jets of water emerge. It is interesting that Bologna is not only a city of good food, beautiful palaces, churches, squares, already we can outside the city walls you can find some of the best car and motorcycle manufacturers such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati and Ducati. That's how we find out it is Mario Maserati, one of the founders' brothers of Maserati luxury car brand, created the company logo inspired by Neptune's trident, which he precisely reproduced. Since 1926, when their first car 'Tipo 26' started to run, the trident proudly stands on every model. Marvelous fountain.

Definitely visit it during a day not during a night!!! It was very dark and I couldn’t see it and click some photos properly!! Lightning was really bad during that night!! I wish it would be more brighter at that time. Anyways, it is a beautiful Fountain. Surely you should visit it!!

Busy but impressive, this statue and square are in the center of the old town and a landmark.

After road tripping Italy from south to north, imitating countless statues while shooting silly photos, we finally came across one that my girlfriend didn't want to pose in front of 😂 so here's a regular, plain and boring video of just the fountain. It's fenced off right now btw, so you can't get close

Powerful statue commanding all the surroundings of a beautiful ancient square

What a centerpiece to have in the main city square of Bologna. The Fountain of Neptune is an amazing work of art that manages to capture your attention in the middle of one of the most impressive public squares that I've ever seen. Get close and you will discover amazing details, especially when it comes to various parts of the female anatomy sprouting water into the fountain. The fountain has had a profound influence on sculpture worldwide. There are copies of it in Belgium, Georgia, Japan and the US.