
Fountain of the Four Rivers in the Piazza Navona in Rome, Italy. It was designed in 1651 by Gian Lorenzo Bernini for Pope Innocent X whose family palace, the Palazzo Pamphili, faced onto the piazza as did the church of Sant'Agnese in Agone of which Innocent was the sponsor. They represent four major rivers of the four continents through which papal authority had spread: the Danube representing Europe. the Ganges representing Asia, the Nile representing Africa and the Rio della Plata representing America. Each has animals and plants that further carry forth identification. The fountain faces the church of Sant'Agnese in Agone by Francesco Borromini.