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In accordance with Roman common practice, there had been a fountain opposite the ancient basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore throughout the Middle Ages and possibly earlier. This was a simple porphyry basin supported on small pillars, which -- when it still worked -- used water from the old Marcio aqueduct. So, perhaps as a link to this Roman old tradition, Pope Paul V wanted a new fountain in the same square. The designer was Maderno, probably in association with the architect Gaspare de Vecchi.
Originally, the basin was of an irregular oblong shape with two small "eagle" fountains on the longer sides and, in between, at the curved ends, two large dragons. You can still see the eagles above the masks, but the dragons disappeared probably in the 19th century. These early decorations must have contributed quite a different air to the whole construction, which has now fallen into a very bad state and is definitely not the "wonderful sight" it once was.
Finally, with regards the statue of the Virgin on top of the column, I would not like to end without mentioning that it was necessary to provide from sixteen to eighteen thousand pounds of metal to cast the image of the Most Holy Virgin. Pope Paul V gave orders to melt down some old cannon from Castel Sant'Angelo and, when these proved insufficient, also "four iron railings, each consisting of three sections and a number of arches, also in metal, which formerly surrounded the Pine Cone that stood in front of the atrium of the old St. Peter's basilica." The statue had been removed in 1614. The Romans may not be so far wrong after all when they say, "Strip one altar to clothe another."
