Domenico Fontana Paintings

Domenico Fontana was an Italian architect of the late Renaissance, born in 1543 in the village of Melide on the shores of Lake Lugano, in what is now the Swiss canton of Ticino. While his early life is not well-documented, it is known that he moved to Rome in his youth, where he came into the services of Cardinal Montalto, who later became Pope Sixtus V. Fontana's career flourished under Sixtus V, a pontiff with grand architectural and urban ambitions for Rome.

Fontana's most significant contributions were in the realm of urban planning and engineering. He is best remembered for his role in the transportation and erection of the Vatican obelisk in St. Peter's Square, a feat of engineering that was widely celebrated at the time. The obelisk, which had stood in the Circus of Nero, was moved to its current location in 1586. This was a complex operation that required careful planning, the design of special machinery, and a workforce of hundreds of men and horses. The successful relocation of the obelisk established Fontana's reputation as a master engineer and architect.

Beyond this momentous project, Fontana was involved in the design and construction of several important buildings and infrastructural projects in Rome. He worked on the renovation of the Lateran Palace and the design of the Lateran obelisk's new base, the construction of the Quirinal Palace, and the completion of the dome of St. Peter's Basilica after the death of Michelangelo. He was also responsible for laying out new streets and aqueducts, which were part of Sixtus V's plan to modernize Rome and improve its water supply.

After the death of Sixtus V in 1590, Fontana's influence in Rome waned, and he eventually accepted an invitation from the Spanish viceroy to work in Naples. There, he continued to undertake significant projects, including the construction of palaces, fortifications, and churches. Fontana's contributions had a lasting impact on the urban landscapes of Rome and Naples. He died in Naples on June 28, 1607, but his work continued to be influential, and he is still studied today as a key figure in the architectural history of the Italian Renaissance.