In the center of Piazza Archimede, in the heart of Ortigia, there is the Artemis/Diana Fountain. The fountain, more than 5 meters high, was built in 1906 by the sculptor Giulio Moschetti and tells the story of the famous legend of the nymph Arethusa.
The Diana fountain is the representation of the legend of Arethusa. At the center of the fountain, the figure of Diana stands proudly, with bow, quiver and dog, the typical elements of the goddess of hunting, in the guise of protector of the nymph Arethusa, who is at her feet, exhausted by the pursuit of the lover, and is on the verge of turning into a source of water. The nymph is represented, naked, as she is about to merge with the waters below, while tritons on sea horses and painters swimming in the waves prancing around. These mythological characters symbolize the sea, the element where the love story ends. Alpheus, behind the goddess, observes the scene with a stunned expression at what is happening to his beloved.
Finally, the basin is decorated with some masks and coats of arms which reflect the classic style. The monument was built in reinforced concrete, both because this material has a low cost and because of its highly versatile characteristics.