Two hundred meters of water features, almost 2,000 nozzles, over a thousand lighthouses and a water screen as high as a four-storey building. We are not in Dubai or Las Vegas, but in Campania, a few steps from the archaeological excavations of Pompeii.
It is here, precisely in Torre Annunziata, in the province of Naples, that there is what is presented as the largest scenic fountain in Italy. A technological installation created inside the MaxiMall Pompeii, capable of transforming a large square into a spectacle of water, music, lights and projections.
Opened in December 2024, the fountain has become one of the main attractions of the shopping complex. And what makes it special is not only the size, but above all the technology hidden behind each jet of water.
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Where the largest fountain in Italy is located
The fountain is located inside the external area of the MaxiMall Pompeii, a large complex dedicated to shopping and entertainment located in via Plinio, in Torre Annunziata, less than a kilometer from the Archaeological Park of Pompeii.
The center covers a total area of approximately 200,000 square meters and includes shops, restaurants, a cinema, green spaces and areas dedicated to events.
In the center there is a large open-air square, called Atrium, designed to host shows and events. It is precisely here that the fountain develops, with a front of approximately 200 meters along which jets of water, light effects and projections follow one another.
During the day it is an architectural element of the square, while during shows it becomes a system of dancing fountains that follows the rhythm of the music.
The effect is reminiscent of the famous fountains of the Bellagio in Las Vegas or the large water shows in Dubai, with one difference: this installation is located at the foot of Vesuvius.
How the record-breaking fountain works: almost 2,000 nozzles and 1,150 lights
Behind the show there is a system designed by the Italian company Watercube, based in Marano Vicentino, in the province of Vicenza, specialized in the creation of scenographic fountains.
The structure includes nearly 2,000 nozzles, each with a specific function. Among these there are 44 multidirectional robotic nozzles, capable of directing the jets in different directions, 144 operated by compressed air, 164 interactive devices and 1,500 nozzles intended to produce artificial fog effects.
The choreographies are illuminated by 1,150 spotlights, synchronized with music, lasers and projections. One of the most particular elements is the so-called water screen: a screen made of nebulized water, 12 meters high and 30 meters wide, on which it is possible to project images and videos.
The entire system can move up to 50,000 liters of water per minute. A figure that indicates the volume of water managed during operation, and not necessarily the consumption of new water: to know the latter, specific information on the recirculation and replenishment systems would be needed.
Over 25 kilometers of pipes and cables to control the water features
The least visible part of the fountain is also the most complex. To power and control the system, 750 meters of stainless steel pipes and manifolds, 8 kilometers of polyethylene pipes, one kilometer of PVC pipes and 16 kilometers of electrical cables were installed.
In total, over 25 kilometers of infrastructure that allows the different scenographic effects to be coordinated. The operation is managed by software connected to a dedicated server. The system has 8,192 control channels, through which the choreographies are programmed and synchronized.
Then there is another peculiarity: around the main tank there is an area of approximately 800 square meters which can be filled and emptied automatically.
When flooded, the water reaches an average depth of just four centimeters. When it is emptied, the surface can be used again as a walkable space, allowing the square to change configuration depending on the planned activities.
When to see the dancing fountain show
The fountain is not just a decorative installation: it was designed to host daily shows open to visitors to the mall.
According to the timetables published on the official website of MaxiMall Pompeii, the shows are scheduled at the following times:
Times may vary on the occasion of particular events, so it is always advisable to check the official calendar before your visit.
The MaxiMall Pompeii is located in via Plinio, in Torre Annunziata, and can be reached both by car and public transport. The Torre Annunziata Centrale train station is about 600 meters away, while the Pompei Villa dei Misteri Circumvesuviana stop is about 1.4 kilometers away.
Is it really the largest fountain in Italy?
The primacy attributed to the Torre Annunziata fountain concerns its characteristics show fountainthat is, a scenographic system designed to create shows using electronically controlled water jets.
It therefore does not mean that it is larger than any Italian monumental complex dedicated to water. Just think of the system of pools, waterfalls and fountains of the Royal Palace of Caserta, which extends along an axis of several kilometres, or the Trevi Fountain in Rome, approximately 26 meters high and almost 50 meters wide.
These are very different works in terms of era, function and structure, which cannot be compared simply on the basis of size. The fountain of the MaxiMall Pompeii instead represents a contemporary example of engineering applied to entertainment, designed and built by an Italian company.
And the contrast is particular: less than a kilometer from a Roman city buried by the eruption of Vesuvius almost two thousand years ago, today water becomes the protagonist of a show built with robotics, software and digital technologies.
