Fountain of the 99 Spouts
Located in Borgo Rivera, the Fountain of the 99 spouts is the most famous monument of the city of L’Aquila. Its trapezoidal shape is of great prospective impact. The name derives from the number of water spouts. All along the perimeter are 93 spouts jutting out of stone faces. The 93 spouts are all different from each other and are composed of a mask with a flower with rosette, symbol of the cycle of life, while the others are empty and represent the wounds of Christ. The number 99 is a symbolic and mysterious number in the culture of Aquila. It is customary for all visitors to count the spouts. The fourteenth-century plaque located in the centre of the complex, above the fountain testifies how the beginning of the construction works goes back to 1272. The fountain square is an irregular trapezoidal figure and most of the masks are original as are the two basins that collect the water. The walls surrounding the fountain are built in alternating white and pink stone, creating a kind of chessboard pattern. The fountain dates back to 1400 and was originally the place assigned to the public wash-house. The water source which was built in the lower part of the city near the river Aterno is a place rich in water.
