The Dolphin Fountain is much loved by the people of Mantua. It was built in 1890 on the site of the first artesian well. The well drew water from a depth of 121.50 meters and served to provide drinking water to the city.
The fountain, surmounted by three marble dolphins with their tails intertwined, stands on the site where the statue of Dante Alighieri. The marble monument was moved to the current Piazza Dante at the end of the 19th century and replaced with a bronze copy in 1961.