U' Liotru by baronedivandastad
This fountain of the Elefant was built by the Master Giovan Battista Vaccarini, and is now the symbol of the city. The fountain symbolizes the victory against Hannibal, who tried to invade Catania using elephants. The obelisk is probably taken from Egypt by the Romans, and represents the symbol of Egyptian civilization. The cross, palm and globe on top represent the symbol of Christian civilization.
The name in Catanese dialect (U' Liotru) probably comes from that of a magician that rode the elephant as part of a magic ritual.
An interesting remark is that the fountain was built on the model of Bernini's Elefante di Minerva, located in Rome.
