Fontana di Cerere

The Fontana di Cerere stands in the middle of Piazza Cavour in Catania, Sicily, a square better known to locals as Piazza Borgo. It is a marble hydraulic sculpture built in the 18th century and moved here from the university square in the 19th century. The work was commissioned by the Catania Senate during a famine to win divine favour. The sculptor, Giuseppe Orlando from Palermo, chose the goddess Cerere because of her Sicilian roots. Originally placed opposite the university, it was later relocated to the Borgo district built for earthquake refugees. The fountain’s marble pedestal rises from a large basin, its four sides decorated with scowling masks that spout water. Above them sits the goddess in classical robes holding a sickle, her expression calm. Four dolphins at the corners also spout water into a suspended shell basin, which overflows into the main pool. Two inscribed plaques on the pedestal record the work and the deity. Over time the statue suffered damage and acquired a reputation for misfortune, including the death of its restorer inside the basin. Today the fountain is set in a small paved circle with two low ramps and a patch of grass around it. The surrounding area is quiet, allowing the baroque curves and flowing water to be seen clearly. The original hydraulic system is now partly replaced by unattractive vertical jets from the 20th century. Despite its troubled past, the work remains a quiet monument to Catania’s history and craftsmanship.