The Magificent Early Masterpieces by Bernini

One can find Bernini's very first masterpiece, the Barcaccia fountain, at the base of the Trinita dei Monti in Piaza di Spagna. To this day, this area is flooded with Roman locals and tourists alike who enjoy conversation and each other's company. One of the city’s most stylish gathering places are the streets surrounding Bernini's fountain, which would certainly have brought a smile to the great Bernini. In around 1630, Pope Urbano VIII helped Bernini launch his career with the construction of his very first water fountain. Depicted in the fountain's design is a large ship slowly sinking into the (Related Site) Mediterranean Sea. Period reports dating back to the 16th century indicate that the fountain was constructed as a memorial to those who lost their lives in the great flooding of the Tevere. In 1665, France was graced by Bernini's one-and-only prolonged trip outside of Italy.