Located just a short distance from the Quattro Canti, the Pretoria Fountain stands as a magnificent artistic creation, originally designed by a Tuscan sculptor to adorn a Florentine villa. Later, it was purchased by the Senate of Palermo and reassembled in a manner different from the artist's original layout.

This splendid fountain rests on an elliptical base, enriched with concentric basins arranged across three different levels, and is adorned with a harmonious sequence of stairs and statues, arranged according to a classical and symmetrical design. A distinctive feature of the Pretoria Fountain is the four basins on the first level, which, through statuary groups of reclining figures, symbolize the rivers of Palermo: Oreto, Papireto, Gabriele, and Maredolce.

Despite its undeniable splendor, the Pretoria Fountain has sparked numerous controversies among the citizens of Palermo, mainly due to the evident nudity of the statues. This issue led to the site being nicknamed "Piazza della Vergogna" (Square of Shame), highlighting the contrast between art and the social perceptions of the time.