Fontana della Sirena (Piazza Sannazaro)
Napoli (NA)
Hidden gemStreet art
The story
Rejected by Ulysses, the siren Partenope let herself die and the sea laid her on this shore: from her the city took its name. Here she is in marble, lyre in hand, on a rock of horses, lions and dolphins.
Access
FREE, always
The story
The Fountain of the Siren, in Piazza Sannazaro at Mergellina, is a monumental marble fountain made in 1869 by the sculptor Onofrio Buccini, with the collaboration of the young Francesco Jerace. Born to adorn the gardens of the railway station, it was placed here in 1924. At the centre, the siren Parthenope, who ties to the myth the very name of Naples.
What to see
The siren Parthenope with the lyre, on a rock at the centre of the elliptical basin, surrounded by four animals — horse, lion, dolphin and turtle — and by aquatic flora: a nineteenth-century tribute to the foundation myth of the city, in the heart of Mergellina.
Hours and prices
Free entry.
Tips
The fountain is in the open, in Piazza Sannazaro: you see it freely during the walk at Mergellina. To be combined with the nearby Parco Vergiliano (tombs of Virgil and Leopardi) and the seafront towards Chiaia.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Fountain of the Siren of Mergellina?
A monumental fountain of 1869 by Onofrio Buccini in Piazza Sannazaro, with the siren Parthenope at the centre; it was placed here in 1924.
Who is the siren of the fountain?
Parthenope, the siren of the myth that gives Naples its name, depicted with the lyre on a rock surrounded by four animals.
Where is the Fountain of the Siren?
In Piazza Sannazaro, at Mergellina, in the Chiaia-Mergellina district of Naples.
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