Lion Fountain

The Lion Fountain — in Maltese Il-funtana tal-iljun, also known as the Vilhena Fountain — is a Grade 1 listed baroque monument in St Anne Square, Floriana, a short five-minute walk from the gates of Valletta. It was commissioned in 1728 by Grand Master António Manoel de Vilhena, one of the most artistically inclined rulers of the Knights of St John on Malta. The four lion-head spouts and tiered stone basin are a fine example of Maltese high baroque stonework from the early 18th century. The fountain is illuminated at night, which throws the carved relief work into sharp relief and gives the square a quieter, more atmospheric character than it carries during the busy daytime hours — a detail regularly noted by visitors who return specifically at golden hour.