Antica Fonte

The Antica Fonte stands in Piazza della Repubblica at the end of Pitigliano’s Medici aqueduct. Its present form is a broad basin with reused stone bearing the Orsini bear and two cast-iron water spouts.

Why it matters

The fountain marks the public terminus of the aqueduct that brought water from the Meleta springs to the town. Its original design had five arches, parapets and crowning spheres, representing grand-ducal authority. The present basin reflects later alterations to this public water source.

What to notice

Look for carved fragments bearing the Orsini bear set into the stonework. Two cast-iron mascheroni serve as water spouts. The fountain’s location in Piazza della Repubblica places it within the historic square, near Palazzo Orsini.

Context and history

The fountain’s history is tied to the aqueduct, an Orsini project begun in 1466 and rebuilt under the Medici in the 1630s using water from the Meleta springs. The water was channelled to Piazza della Repubblica, where the Antica Fonte remains its public endpoint.