Fountains have a millennia-old history, rooted in the earliest human civilizations. Originally, they were simple structures designed to provide drinking water to communities, but over the centuries, they evolved into architectural and artistic elements of great significance.
The first documented fountains date back to the Mesopotamian and ancient Egyptian civilizations. These cultures developed techniques to channel water from rivers and natural springs to cities. In Egypt, royal gardens were often adorned with simple fountains, fed by channels that brought water from the Nile. In ancient Mesopotamia, fountains were an integral part of palace gardens and courtyards.
In ancient Greece and Rome, fountains were common in both public and private spaces. Roman fountains, in particular, were supplied by complex aqueduct systems that brought water from mountain springs to the cities. The fountains of Rome were often monumental, such as those in the Roman Forum, serving both as sources of drinking water and as decorative elements.
During the Middle Ages, fountains continued to be a common feature in European cities, often located in monastery courtyards and central city squares. In this period, many fountains had a primarily practical function, such as distributing drinking water or irrigating fields. However, in some cities, fountains also began to symbolize power and prestige, with elaborate decorations and religious sculptures.
In the Renaissance, fountains once again became highly valued artistic elements. Italy, in particular, saw the construction of numerous fountains that combined advanced hydraulic engineering and art. Renaissance fountains, such as those designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in Rome, were often adorned with complex sculptures celebrating mythological deities, historical figures, and symbols of power.
During the Baroque period, fountains became even more theatrical and dramatic. Large Baroque fountains were often characterized by high water jets and complex water displays. Iconic examples of this period include the Triton Fountain in Rome and the fountains of Versailles in France.
With the advent of the industrial era, fountains continued to evolve, becoming symbols of technological progress. Modern fountains often use advanced pumping systems and lighting to create water displays that attract visitors. Today, fountains can be found in almost every city in the world, from small squares to large urban parks.
In many cultures, fountains continue to symbolize abundance, purity, and beauty, remaining central elements in many public squares and private gardens.
Fountains in Salento
Although fountains in Salento are not as numerous as in other Italian regions, they represent significant elements of the local cultural and artistic heritage, often tied to practical and symbolic functions.
In this context, Lecce is the subject of a saying of Bourbon origin, known as “The city without fountains,” reflecting the irony and paradox associated with a place famous for its Baroque architecture and numerous decorative fountains, yet with scarce water resources. Despite the presence of many fountains, they were not always operational in the past, or lacked a sufficient water source to keep them running.
It is essential to mention the legendary Idume River, a watercourse that mostly flows underground, passing beneath the city of Lecce and surfacing only in a few specific points. Its source is near the town of Surbo, north of Lecce, and the river continues its course until it flows into the Adriatic Sea. Historically, the Idume provided drinking water and was used to irrigate fields. However, due to its underground nature and the karstic character of the territory, the river has always been difficult to manage and control. With the urban expansion of Lecce and environmental changes, much of its course has been covered, and today the Idume is mostly hidden beneath the city. Additionally, the presence of this underground river may be one of the main reasons behind the saying “Lecce, fountains without water.” The city’s fountains, although artistically rich, often had water supply problems due to the difficulty of accessing the water resources of the Idume River, hidden beneath the surface.
Historical sources attest that the oldest fountain in Lecce dates back to 1498, followed by another fountain at the end of the 16th century, located in the current Piazza Sant’Oronzo, between the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie and the Roman amphitheater. The structure consisted of a hemispherical stone basin supported by nymphs, with the city’s civic emblem (a she-wolf walking and a holm oak tree crowned by five towers) rising in the center. Water spouted from the center of the oak, falling into the basin below and then into two concentric octagonal basins at the base, which rose slightly above the level of the square. The water supply was provided by a large well and a hydraulic machine with stone pipes, powered by animal force, which in 1678 also fed the new fountain by the renowned architect Giuseppe Zimbalo, which replaced the previous one. The new monument was dedicated to the reigning king, Charles II, represented by an equestrian statue, and remained active until 1841, when it was demolished. The pre-existing fountain was not destroyed but relocated to the park of the Orsini del Balzo Counts, where it remained until 1756.
But was there water or not? There was and wasn’t. Each time they wanted to make the fountain spout water, it was necessary to activate the well’s hydraulic machine with a horse or donkey to fill the reservoir, so the fountain remained dry for most of the year, except on a few solemn occasions.
Today, the most representative fountain of Lecce is the Fountain of Harmony (also known as the Fountain of the Two Lovers), erected in 1927, on the occasion of the arrival of the aqueduct in the city, in front of the Castle of Charles V. This work, built in Trani stone, features two bronze statues placed on organ pipes of varying lengths: a man and a woman, both nude, holding up a shell from which they both drink. The sculptor intended to celebrate a very important moment for the city of Lecce through the allegory of love and sharing.
Moving away from the capital, we find other notable fountains in the province, which have become recognizable landmarks and points of reference for the communities where they are located.
The first one is in Nardò, and it is the “Fountain of the Bull“, created in 1930. It bears the symbol of the city: a bull that makes water spout. Legend has it that the city was founded where a bull made water gush from the ground. The bull is also a symbol associated with the Spanish Aragonese, who ruled southern Italy for a period and arrived in Nardò during the Renaissance. This was a time when historical and literary attention was focused on the classical era, and the theme of myth, in which the bull has significance and frequency, was revived. Next to the fountain is a medallion featuring the city’s coat of arms and the phrase “Tauro non Bovi.” The presence of the bull rather than the ox represents the strength of Aragonese rule or perhaps of the Neretine population itself.
In Gallipoli, between the historic center and the newer part of the city, stands the “Greek Fountain“. Initially, local tradition and some critics believed that the fountain dated back to the 3rd century
BC. However, further studies found it more accurate to place the architectural work in the Renaissance period. From 1548 until 1560, it stood near the now-lost Church of San Nicola. Then, in 1560, it was moved to its current location next to the Gallipoli Bridge.
But the mystery of its origins persists: the style that created the fountain is that of Ancient Greek art, a culture that used myth as a form of expression. According to this theory, with the invasions of the Goths, the statues were removed and then reinserted into the structure in 1560. Whatever the true dating, the Greek Fountain still arouses great interest and curiosity today. The fountain consists of two facades, each about 5 meters high: one facing northwest and the other southeast.
The northwest facade serves as a support and dates back to 1765. On it stands the coat of arms of Gallipoli, featuring an image of a rooster with a crown and a Latin inscription that reads *fideliter excubat*, meaning “faithfully watches.” Also prominently displayed are the insignia of King Charles III of Bourbon.
Below is a watering trough where animals would drink, and in the 1950s, water was drawn from here for families without access to it at home.
The southeast facade is divided into three blocks, flanked by four caryatids that support the architrave, which is richly decorated and about 5 meters high. In the three sections between the four caryatids are bas-reliefs depicting the metamorphoses of three mythological figures: Dirce, Salmacis, and Byblis, women transformed into springs.
The most spectacular fountain is the “Monumental Cascade of Santa Maria di Leuca“. Universally considered one of the most beautiful in Italy, this work, of high engineering value, has adorned the town for over 80 years. It forms the final stretch of one of Italy’s most ambitious and important projects, the Apulian Aqueduct, currently the largest in Europe. The cascade was created to celebrate the successful completion of the project and was inaugurated in 1939. In 1927, the Grand Siphon was finally completed, bringing water first to Lecce and then to the main towns of Salento, eventually reaching Santa Maria di Leuca. Between 1931 and 1941, the construction of the peripheral branches completed this grand project, which is now nestled in a stunning landscape of cliffs overlooking the sea and a pine forest. An imposing structure, it boasts a length of over 250 meters and a drop of about 120 meters, with a flow rate of 1,000 liters per second, ending directly in the sea. On both sides, two long staircases lead from the square of the overhanging Sanctuary of Finibus Terrae to the end of the cascade, where a Roman column has been placed, and then to the port. The cascade is not continuously on display to curious visitors, tourists, and spectators; instead, it is activated infrequently, especially during the summer, both to allow for the drainage and discharge of water and to create a suggestive and fascinating spectacle.
Lastly, but no less important, are the “Apulian Aqueduct fountains“. Every town in Salento has at least one. These are small public fountains, all identical (128 cm high, 38 cm circular base, conical shape, topped with a cap and a small basin for water recovery, entirely made of cast iron, intermittent jet tap with an internal brass mechanism, still handcrafted today). They represent the symbol of the Apulian Aqueduct, the historic little fountain familiar to many squares in Puglia and southern Italy, which, starting in 1914, brought the first clean public water to Puglia, and still today, it stands as the undisputed icon of this epochal social achievement. Over the years, stories and rhymed poems about the fountain have multiplied, creating a popular literature, often in dialect: “All’acqua, all’acqua, alla fendana nova, ci non tene la zita se la trova” (“To the water, to the water, to the new fountain, whoever doesn’t have a fiancée will find one”), says an anonymous nursery rhyme from the 1920s, reflecting the unconditional affection that the people of Puglia have for this simple life-giving tool.
Fountains in Salento, though not as numerous as in other Italian regions, are still an integral part of the urban and rural landscape. Besides providing water, these fountains served and still serve as meeting places, venues for festivities and socialization, representing symbols of life and community. For tourists, the fountains offer an opportunity to immerse themselves in local history and appreciate the architectural beauty of the region.
Salento, with its combination of historical and modern elements, continues to value fountains as part of its cultural heritage, reflecting the region’s rich artistic tradition and the vitality of its people.