Fontana dell'Elefante
Fontana dell'Elefante features on the Gingerguide audio walk through Catania. Give it roughly ~20 min: enough to look, hear a two to three minute story on the spot, and ask the AI guide whatever the story leaves open.
- Type monument
- Suggested visit ~20 min
- Catania Catania guide
About Fontana dell'Elefante
Catania's beloved symbol: an ancient lava-stone elephant bearing an Egyptian obelisk, standing at the centre of the magnificent Baroque Piazza del Duomo.
The Fontana dell'Elefante is the symbol of Catania, a fountain so deeply loved by its citizens that the elephant has become the city's mascot, appearing on the municipal coat of arms and on the scarves of the football club. The elephant itself is a small, somewhat naïve lava-stone sculpture of ancient origin, its exact date is disputed, but it is at least Roman and possibly pre-Roman, carved from the volcanic basalt that underlies Catania. It was placed on a marble base in the Baroque piazza in 1736 by Giovanni Battista Vaccarini, the architect who redesigned Catania after the catastrophic earthquake of 1693. Vaccarini placed on the elephant's back an Egyptian obelisk from the Roman period, discovered reused as a pillar in the church of San Giovanni. The combination, ancient elephant, ancient obelisk, Baroque pedestal, is delightfully eccentric and perfectly Catanese.
Did you know? The elephant is nicknamed "Liotru" by Catanesi, derived from the Greek name Heliodorus, a legendary local wizard said to have magically animated the lava stone.
How long is a visit to Fontana dell'Elefante?
Set aside roughly ~20 min for Fontana dell'Elefante. That covers a good look and the narrated story, and because you set the pace you can always stay on.
Is Fontana dell'Elefante worth your time?
Fontana dell'Elefante is among the 20 narrated highlights the Gingerguide team chose for Catania, so it is worth a look. Hear the story for the context, then ask the AI guide for anything more.
Nearby stops in Catania
Hear the story of Fontana dell'Elefante
Preview the Catania tour free in the Gingerguide app.