ROBBA FOUNTAIN, LJUBLJANA; The Robba fountain, officially known as the Fountain of the Three Rivers of Carniola, is a fountain in the city of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It was originally located outside the Ljubljana town hall near the St. Nicholas Cathedral. In 2006, the fountain was renovated and moved into the National Gallery, while a replica was placed in its previous site on the Town Square.
The fountain was designed between 1743 and 1751 by the Italian sculptor Francesco Robba who, inspired by Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers on Piazza Navona during a visit to Rome, designed the fountain to represent the three rivers of Carniola: Ljubljanica, Sava and Krka. Steps representing the Carniolan mountains lead up to the fountain with its characteristic obelisk in the middle.
The Robba fountain's marble was so expensive that a guard was placed next to it for many years during night hours. It was not only the marble that was expensive, but also the costs of bringing it up from the bottom of the sea after the ship on which it was transported sank. Robba himself was never paid for the job because there was no money left to pay him.
