Piazza del Nettuno is a compact square in the heart of Bologna, adjoining the larger Piazza Maggiore. Its centrepiece is the Fountain of Neptune, a bronze figure known locally as Il Gigante. Students, commuters and visitors cross the square throughout the day, making it a good place to get a feel for the city beyond its monuments.
The fountain was commissioned in the 1560s, when Bologna was under papal rule. Giambologna sculpted Neptune, while Tommaso Laureti designed the fountain and its waterworks. Look closely at the figures around the base: the water-spouting sea nymphs have long attracted attention, as have the stories and jokes told about Neptune himself. Some of those tales are best enjoyed as local folklore rather than settled history.
Piazza del Nettuno is also a useful starting point for exploring central Bologna. Palazzo Re Enzo stands nearby, while the Basilica di San Petronio is a short walk across Piazza Maggiore. At Biblioteca Salaborsa, just off the square, a glass floor in the atrium reveals archaeological remains beneath the modern city.
Come early in the morning for photographs of the fountain with fewer people around, or in the early evening to catch the aperitivo crowd. The square is around a 20- to 25-minute walk from Bologna Centrale along Via dell'Indipendenza. In summer, bring water and use the nearby porticoes for shade; the protected fountain is best admired without climbing on it.