According to popular legend, this much-loved fountain was created in a single night. The story goes that the Duke of Mattei had it built to save his engagement and prove to his prospective father-in-law that despite having gambled his entire fortune away, he was still a good catch. Amazingly, it worked, and the impressed father allowed Mattei to marry his daughter.
In reality, the fountain, which features four boys gently hoisting tortoises into a bowl of water was no overnight sensation – it was created by Giacomo della Porta and Taddeo Landini between 1581 and 1588.
