Description
The Fontana De Torres is the monumental fountain in Piazza della Vittoria, Brindisi's main square. Built in 1618 to bring water to a city struck by epidemics, it's a small monument to a Spanish governor and to the ancient Roman aqueducts.
It's made of two marble basins: a large one below collects the water spouting from a smaller upper basin. The latter began life as a baptismal font: in the Middle Ages people were baptized in it by immersion, and it was reused for the fountain.
On the fountain a Latin inscription celebrates Governor De Torres, King Philip III of Spain and the Viceroy of Naples, the Duke of Osuna. It also recalls the damage done to the aqueducts by William I the Bad, the Norman king.
In the 17th century the square was split in two: the nobles' square, with the Sedile and the clock tower, both demolished, and the commoners' square, where the food market was held. The fountain stood in the latter and mainly served the vendors.
In the summers of 1617 and 1618 Brindisi was hit by epidemics that claimed many lives, especially among the Spanish soldiers stationed in the city. For water, people had to go all the way to the San Giorgio tower, where the ancient aqueduct ran.
The governor, the Spanish captain Pedro Aloysio de Torres, then decided to bring water into the city by putting the Roman conduits back into use, and had three fountains built: this was the most important one, because it was the most central.
The wealthier citizens were to pay, each according to their means. The governor had the sum owed written on the walls of their houses, calculated on the workers' wages.
In March 1715, for lack of maintenance, the fountain stopped running. Mayor Stanislao Monticelli had it repaired, and on October 26 of that year the water flowed again.
It's made of two marble basins: a large one below collects the water spouting from a smaller upper basin. The latter began life as a baptismal font: in the Middle Ages people were baptized in it by immersion, and it was reused for the fountain.
On the fountain a Latin inscription celebrates Governor De Torres, King Philip III of Spain and the Viceroy of Naples, the Duke of Osuna. It also recalls the damage done to the aqueducts by William I the Bad, the Norman king.
In the 17th century the square was split in two: the nobles' square, with the Sedile and the clock tower, both demolished, and the commoners' square, where the food market was held. The fountain stood in the latter and mainly served the vendors.
In the summers of 1617 and 1618 Brindisi was hit by epidemics that claimed many lives, especially among the Spanish soldiers stationed in the city. For water, people had to go all the way to the San Giorgio tower, where the ancient aqueduct ran.
The governor, the Spanish captain Pedro Aloysio de Torres, then decided to bring water into the city by putting the Roman conduits back into use, and had three fountains built: this was the most important one, because it was the most central.
The wealthier citizens were to pay, each according to their means. The governor had the sum owed written on the walls of their houses, calculated on the workers' wages.
In March 1715, for lack of maintenance, the fountain stopped running. Mayor Stanislao Monticelli had it repaired, and on October 26 of that year the water flowed again.