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In Baroque Rome, fountains inevitably became a reflection of the largesse associated with papal families. The Barberini were trumped by the succeeding pope, Innocent X Pamphilj (reigned 1644-1655) and Bernini's greatest achievement in this genre the Fountain of the Four Rivers. The location was Piazza Navona, the ancient stadium of the Emperor Domitian and the site of the papal family's palace. As early as 1647 Innocent had decided to erect an obelisk as a central ornament for the piazza in tandem with a fountain, which was emphatically not to be designed by Bernini, who was then out of favour through his close association with the previous regime. Bernini, however, arranged for his model to be seen by the Pope, and Innocent immediately determined to have the model executed, reputedly remarking that the only way to avoid employing Bernini was not to see his designs.
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