Fontana del Re

Splendid fountain at the entrance to the town, along via Nazionale delle Puglie. The king's fountain was so named because the king, going inside the country, used to stop at this fountain to quench his thirst. Together with the Vanvitellian bell tower of the church of S. Maria Maggiore, it represents one of the most interesting architectural elements to admire in the Grottaminarda area.

Gallery

History

Built in 1606 to a design by Scipione Galluccio and Andrea Insano, craftsmen from Cava de' Tirreni. Grottaminarda is crossed by the Strada Regia which from Naples reaches Puglia. Commissioned by Carlo D'Angiò at the end of the 13th century, it was restructured at the time of Philip II in 1578. Between 1605 and 1607 some fountains designed by Scipione Galluccio and Andrea Insano, craftsmen of Cava de' Tirreni were placed there. When in 1735 Charles III of Bourbon decided to rearrange the ro read more

Built in 1606 to a design by Scipione Galluccio and Andrea Insano, craftsmen from Cava de' Tirreni. Grottaminarda is crossed by the Strada Regia which from Naples reaches Puglia. Commissioned by Carlo D'Angiò at the end of the 13th century, it was restructured at the time of Philip II in 1578. Between 1605 and 1607 some fountains designed by Scipione Galluccio and Andrea Insano, craftsmen of Cava de' Tirreni were placed there. When in 1735 Charles III of Bourbon decided to rearrange the road, in addition to the famous Fontana del Re, located between Grottaminarda and Passo Eclano, he had four other fountains of lesser importance installed in the Ariano Irpino area: Fontana di Ponte Gonnella, Carpino della Pila, Carpino della Tetta, or covered, by fons tecta, and Fontana della Maddalena. Normally used to quench the thirst of travellers, during the summer season they relieved the thirst of the members of the royal court who went hunting from Naples in the Irpinia area (especially in Torre Guevara, in the Bovino area). That of Grottaminarda, recently restored, is the most important and is surmounted by a beautiful coat of arms and enriched by a plaque. Made with carved white limestone blocks, in Baroque style, it shows on the sides two elongated truncated pyramid-shaped obelisks with on the central facade, limited at the base by large volutes, two architectural pilasters in Doric style which define a space on which are carved embossed coat of arms and Bourbon symbols. At the foot of the large structure there is a long rectangular basin with various outlets for water drainage. Even the tub was made of stone. read less