Terracotta fountain gifted to Rehoboth from Italian sister city

In the spirit of continued collaboration and friendship, Rehoboth Beach officials and their counterparts from Italian sister city Greve-in-Chianti recently celebrated the future placement of a terracotta fountain in Cranberry Park’s Garden of the Navigators.

The two communities have been sister cities since 2010. Greve is believed to be the birthplace of 16th century explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, who explored the Delaware coastline in 1524. The fountain has been created by terracotta artist Enzo Zago and was made as a gift to Rehoboth.

During a ceremony April 17, Rehoboth Beach Mayor Stan Mills and Greve-in-Chianti Mayor Paolo Sottani talked about the importance of the continued relationship between the two cities.

The Consul General of Italy in Philadelphia Cristiana Mele was also in attendance. She also acknowledged the importance of the continued connection. Plus, she said, it’s always nice to have a little bit of Italy somewhere. 

This isn’t the first project between the two cities. In 2012, Greve officials created a garden in honor of its connection to Rehoboth. A year later, a garden reminiscent of one found in Greve was created in Cranberry Park.

In 2018, the city announced it would accept a fountain from Zago.

The fountain, which is taller than an adult human, is en route to Rehoboth and will be installed at a date yet to be determined. Mills said the fountain has reached New York City and is waiting to be shipped south.

Following the ceremony in Cranberry Park, people moved to city hall, where there was a brief reception and exchanging of gifts. After that, the group moved again, this time to the Verrazano monument on the Boardwalk, at the end of Olive Avenue, to place a wreath.

The Italian representatives were guests of the Rehoboth Beach Sister Cities Association and Commission on Italian Heritage and Culture.