The "Nasoni": the Rome's Free Water Fountains

Water has always played a fundamental role in ancient civilizations. While today it's possible to build cities from scratch even in desert areas—see what's happening in the Arabian Peninsula—in the past, there could be no society without potable water.

Rome is no exception. However, although the Tiber River was initially the reason people settled in the area that became Rome (it seems they wanted to control the merchant traffic that crossed the Tiber at its lowest point by charging a toll), it soon became unpotable. In truth, it was never considered a good source of drinking water. However, the use of the famous aqueducts that brought clean water from outside the city solved this problem, and so Rome made a virtue of necessity: it became the city of water par excellence (we'll talk about aqueducts in another post).

The heirs of this millennial tradition—potable water and Rome—are the so-called "nasoni," literally "big noses," due to the shape of their spouts: Rome's drinking fountains.

A traditional Roman 'Nasone' iron drinking fountain with the iconic Colosseum in the background.

Fun Facts about the Nasoni

These small columns are made of cast iron, weigh about 100 kg, and are about 3.5 feet tall. There are more than 2,500 throughout Rome, of which about 200 are in the historic center (a small percentage are non-functional).

The first were installed in 1874, and only three of the original dragon-faced examples remain, one of which is in front of the Pantheon.

If you come from an arid country, you'll be amazed to see that the nasoni operate 24/7. Where does the water go? Isn't that a huge waste? In fact, given that water is abundant in Italy, a continuous flow is even necessary. If it weren't always flowing, there would be a proliferation of bacteria. Furthermore, there would be pressure problems in the underground plumbing system; the nasoni are a kind of relief valve. It seems that the water is largely reused for non-potable purposes, such as irrigation, but I need to confirm this further.

The Nasoni and Tourism in Rome

In the summer, these nasoni are a blessing for me and the tourists I accompany! The water has a constant temperature of about 53°F, and I can assure you that in hot weather, it actually feels cold. It may not be ice-cold, but at least it's free and tastes better than bottled water. It's the same water that reaches the homes of Romans who drink tap water, not buy it!

Do you know how to drink from nasoni? You turn off the tap with your fingertip, and as if by magic, a jet of water will come out of a small hole in the tap's hump. Be careful not to turn off the tap completely, otherwise the jet coming out of the hole will be so strong you'll splash the people in front of the fountain! You can see how it works at the end of this video.

If you prefer to rely on these nasoni instead of buying water, here's a map showing where they are located. Some are along my tour routes, so you can use them!