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Description
The great Tancredi Fountain of Brindisi, better known as Tancredi Fountain, which is located a short distance from the end of the ancient Via Appia, was actually built by the Romans. Tancred, Count of Lecce and the last Norman king, had it only restored in 1192 in memory of the solemn marriage celebrated that year in our Cathedral between his young son Roger and Irene of Greece, daughter of Emperor Isaac of Constantinople.
The year before Roger Tancred had appointed co-regent of the kingdom, and this explains the quotation in the epigraph of the two kings which was placed on the fountain in memory of renovation work: ANNO DOMINI Incarnationis MILLESIMO CENT NONAGESIMO SECVNDO / Regnante Tancredi DOMINO NOSTRO INVICTISSIMO REGE YEAR TERTIO / ET REGE feliciter Reigning DOMINO NOSTRO Glorious ROGERIO FILIO EIVS / YEAR FIRST CANTEENS AVGVSTI INDICTIONIS DECIMAL / HOC EST OPVS FACTVM HONORARY EORVNDEM REGVM.
The end of the Via Appia and the fountain was restored in 1540 (mayor was Bartholomew Tomasino) from the provincial governor of Otranto (who was also governor of the province of Bari in 1544-45), Ferdinando Loffredo, as recalled by a second inscription, no longer readable as the previous one, which was addressed directly to the traveler, with an invitation to stop and drink: AD VIATOREM APPIA Appia, FONS TANCREDE REGE AEDITA / AMBO FERDINAND LOFFREDO HERO INSTAVRATA / STA QUAR BIBE ET PROPER ET TRIA Haec COMMODE HIS TRIBVS PROCERIBVS ACCEPT report.
The large fountain, which was again repaired - and extended the opportunity - in 1828, provided abundant water and pure (if served well the sick, because doctors and experts was considered the absolute best of city and suburbs ), not only for the needs of citizens and animals, but also to irrigate the orchards and gardens that were located along this stretch of coast. The rectangular tank was the watering of horses and other draft animals. At that time the city and its immediate surroundings were rich sources of drinking water, often in proximity to the sea, as we shall see.
A resource almost completely destroyed as a result of the flattening of the hills and mountains and, more recently, the excavation of many wells that have upset the natural balance and reduced water availability largest was once assured by ground water (both surface and little deep, unlike those artesian).
The year before Roger Tancred had appointed co-regent of the kingdom, and this explains the quotation in the epigraph of the two kings which was placed on the fountain in memory of renovation work: ANNO DOMINI Incarnationis MILLESIMO CENT NONAGESIMO SECVNDO / Regnante Tancredi DOMINO NOSTRO INVICTISSIMO REGE YEAR TERTIO / ET REGE feliciter Reigning DOMINO NOSTRO Glorious ROGERIO FILIO EIVS / YEAR FIRST CANTEENS AVGVSTI INDICTIONIS DECIMAL / HOC EST OPVS FACTVM HONORARY EORVNDEM REGVM.
The end of the Via Appia and the fountain was restored in 1540 (mayor was Bartholomew Tomasino) from the provincial governor of Otranto (who was also governor of the province of Bari in 1544-45), Ferdinando Loffredo, as recalled by a second inscription, no longer readable as the previous one, which was addressed directly to the traveler, with an invitation to stop and drink: AD VIATOREM APPIA Appia, FONS TANCREDE REGE AEDITA / AMBO FERDINAND LOFFREDO HERO INSTAVRATA / STA QUAR BIBE ET PROPER ET TRIA Haec COMMODE HIS TRIBVS PROCERIBVS ACCEPT report.
The large fountain, which was again repaired - and extended the opportunity - in 1828, provided abundant water and pure (if served well the sick, because doctors and experts was considered the absolute best of city and suburbs ), not only for the needs of citizens and animals, but also to irrigate the orchards and gardens that were located along this stretch of coast. The rectangular tank was the watering of horses and other draft animals. At that time the city and its immediate surroundings were rich sources of drinking water, often in proximity to the sea, as we shall see.
A resource almost completely destroyed as a result of the flattening of the hills and mountains and, more recently, the excavation of many wells that have upset the natural balance and reduced water availability largest was once assured by ground water (both surface and little deep, unlike those artesian).