The Fountain of the 99 Spouts
Fontana Rivera, or the Fountain of the 99 Spouts, one of the most picturesque and significant monuments in the city hosting the G8 Summit, emerged surprisingly unscathed from the earthquake on 6 April 2009. The Fountain, which was only slightly damaged, is located in the Rivera neighbourhood, which was totally destroyed in the earthquake. The people of L'Aquila have seen this as a sign that the city has not been beaten by the forces of nature and that it is still strong and solid, or "Immota Manet" as the city's motto recites. The FAI, the Italian Environment Fund (a sister organization to the UK's National Trust) has opened a nationwide subscription for the restoration of this fountain, which is situated in one of the city's oldest neighbourhoods and which remains one of the Abruzzo capital's most important symbols.
The monument's history sinks its roots into the mists of time of legend: each one of the 99 castles that came together to found the city is said to have brought its own water to the place where the fountain now stands, causing the fountain to become a symbol of their common effort and their partnership in founding L'Aquila.
Located in the Rivera neighbourhood, which is rich in springs and lies not far from the river Aterno, the fountain was built in 1272 by an architect called Tancredi da Pentima, whom a legend would have us believe lies buried beneath the stone that occupies pride of place in the centre of the piazza.
Initially designed as a public wash house, which continued in use until the early decades of the 20th century, the fountain was used not only by L'Aquila's washerwomen but also by the famous medieval wool guild known as I Lanaioli, who performed the craft of carding, weaving and dying. The fountain underwent major structural work to enlarge it between 1582 and 1585. Historical research tells us that 66 new spouts where added in an effort to impart greater credibility to the legend of the 99 castles. Restoration work conducted both on the hydraulics and on the artistic and architectural structure in 1994 has restored the fountain to its original glory.
Boldly trapezoidal in shape, the monument is surrounded by an elegant wall in white and pink chequered marble, erected some time after the original construction. The wall is reminiscent of the west front on the Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio. The fountain carries a sculpted eagle ("aquila" in Italian), the city's coat of arms, in its centre.
Of the 99 spouts, fully 93 are set into the mouths of grotesque masks, each one different from the next. These masks alternate with panels carved with circular roses decorated with ornamental motifs typical of the artistic tradition in Abruzzo.
Experts virtually all agree on locating the fountain's main spring, or source of water, in the area above it close to the church of Santa Chiara d'Acquili, seat of an early medieval settlement known as “Acquili” from which L'Aquila got its name and from which the city was to develop.
