The Ara Coeli is not considered as one of those ostentatious, showy, and monumental fountains. In fact, the fountain is unfamiliar to people who do not know Rome. The contributing factor to the fountain’s non-popularity is its shape which makes it extremely difficult to examine and get the feel of it. There is the receptacle which is the architectural style of the basin while on the other there’s the water it must contain. There is an argument posed by this, like if you took away the water could you still call this arrangement of pool, balusters, basins and cherubs a fountain? Accordingly, it is the water that unites and gives life to the entire structure giving it the very reason for its existence. Without the water the arrangement would be meaningless.

As for its history, the original design showed plans for a fountain that is very different from the one we see now. There was no circular pool around it instead a raised basin repeating the elongated, undulating "boat-shaped" outline of the usual two steps that formed the base. The base was surrounded by a channel that may have been as deep and wide as the first step clearly for collecting and carrying the water away that was made to gush intentionally from the four lion heads on the side of the lower basin. There is also a baluster above the huge marble basin which rests on a cubiform decorated with festoons. At the top, two small civic crests alternate with two larger ones bearing the arms of Alexander VII Chigi (1655-67) recording the restoration of the Ara Coeli fountain which took place before 1675. For the upper part of the Ara Coeli fountain, is a basin with four smiling cherubs pouring water from four little pitchers. These cherubs were carved by Brasca. During the 1800s the fountain underwent restoration.