Ferreiro Fountain

This fountain, set in a nook of a large rocky outcropping in the street of the same name, is part of the upper neighbourhood of the western side of the village and a type that is rare here: a dipping well. A square tank was carved out of the rock at a level lower than the street, where the water from the spring is collected and decanted, se deposita e decanta, attesting to its freshness. The tank into which the recipients are dipped to draw water is covered by a barrel vault; the exterior covering is decorated with replicas of merlons. It is open towards the street with a semi-circular arch, set on a high parapet that protects the safety of people and animals, and prevents the tank from being dirtied. Its architecture has a vague classical aspect and frequently earns it the designation as a “Roman fountain”. The revivalist form of the structure may be dated to before the second half of the 19th century, a period of strong growth of the local population, dating that can be extended to the birth of the surrounding neighbourhood.