In this picture you can see the Fountain of Books, one of the historical fountains commissioned by Mussolini and built around 1927 following the projects designed by the architect Pietro Lombardi. He was the artist who designed some special fountains in Rome, small in size but important in their functions: they are, in fact, symbolizing the districts and the historical districts in which they are located.

For example, in Rome we find the Fontana della Pigna (Pigna district, near Piazza Venezia), or the Fountain of the Tiaras (Porta Angelica at Borgo district). All of them are Lombardi's works of art that are all capable of bearing witness to something that, in part, even there is not anymore. Take, for example, the road where the Fountain of the Books is located: Staderari Road. The curious name derives from those artisans who, in the past centuries, opened their studios and workshops to build scales and balances. It is interesting to know how, the true and first Via of the Staderari was parallel to this one. Because of the enlargement of the Palazzo Madama, however, the original Staderari Road was suppressed, and the name was given to this alley. How was it named before? The University Road.

And now it is time to return to the Fountain of the Books. As you can well imagine, the name comes from these large volumes, occupying two large stands that almost look like tables. Between the tomes, there is the muzzle of a deer, with a written above (S. EUSTACCHIO). Along the arch, we find the classical inscription SPQR, one of the symbols of Rome. What do we owe everything? First of all, the great books, as well as the old name of the street, takes us back to the period in which the palace where the fountain is located was inaugurated at the beginning of the XIV century, La Sapienza University. It was the first university in Rome, and among one of the oldest ones in Italy. Where today there is the beautiful Church of Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza there was the site of the first roman university. Only later the campus was moved to its present location. The small jets that come out of the edges and on the covers of the books could also symbolize the sweat spent, copious, from all those students who in past years have wearily sweaty in the classrooms of the old universities. And the deer, instead?

The animal is closely related to the name of the district itself, which also appears on the written above the horns of the animal: Sant'Eustachio district. According to his hagiography this christian martyr became a fervent believer, from the pagan era. One day, hunting for a deer, he saw a large Cross that led to Eustachio to a conversion. You understand, therefore, the relationship between the deer, the fountain and the district. But there's just one last, small, gem: the stonemason engaged in the writing of the name of the saint, perhaps distracted, or who knows for what other reason, made a serious error. Read the writing? You can find engraved EustacChio. There is a C more!!! Sometimes the errors are also found in the strangest places...