Bacchus, Borgo S. Jacopo

In 1838, architect Francesco Leoni installed a fountain inside a niche at the base of this tower, the Rossi-Cerchi Tower. This fountain previously stood in Borgo San Jacopo, in front of the Ponte Vecchio bridge.

A bronze statue of Bacchus from the Uffizi Gallery was placed here and it was thought to be the work of a pupil of Benvenuto Cellini, when it was actually an early work by Giambologna, who made it for Lattanzio Cortesi. The fountain was destroyed in August 1944, when the German occupying forces blew up the bridges of Carraraia, San Niccolò, Santa Trinita, Vittoria, and the streets Por Santa Maria, Guicciardini, Bardi, Lungarno Acciaioli and Borgo San Jacopo.

The Bacchus was saved as it had been moved into storage by the Superintendency some time previously. In 1958, the architect Tiezzi rebuilt the niche and its decorative feature. Today the original Bacchus is on display at the Bargello Museum and what you see here is an exact replica.