The mystery of Porto's missing fountains

Est.reading time: 4 min

Where did fountains go? Are there any left?

From hundreds to just a couple per district, some even completely dry, fountains have become a much rarer sight than they used to be. What happened? What did the city do with them?

You won't need to register for a running tour to discover the 'whole truth' (though you should anyway!), mainly because in this blog post we'll share some facts and stories that will help shed light on the subject of public water supply in the city.

Juliao Sarmento's artwork in the form of a fountain is not amongst the dislocated fountains.
But it is located in the best possible place to explain 'the mystery'...! Read on if you want to learn more. 

A common scene till the early 1900's

As with all cities in the world before the advent of the automobile, Porto relied on animal traction for all things transportation and deliveries. This included small carriages and larger mule-drawn trams for passengers, some on railway tracks. There were also hundreds of ox-drawn carts delivering groceries to stores and, of course, wine vats to taverns!

Hundreds of bovines handled all cargo transport in Porto till the early 1900's. Porto felt (and smelled) very rural...!  Photo Credits: Charles Chusseau-Flavies; George Eastman House. source: Porto Desaparecido

Surely, the city had to provide water to the Portuenses, but it also had to consider the thirst of all equine and bovine workers. There must have been an extensive network of fountains and watering stations throughout all the districts. Where did they all disappear to?

Picture-perfect: present day fountains in Porto

Before delving into the causes of the fountains' disappearance, let's be honest and admit that some beautiful ones are still scattered around town (see map here), providing good quality water. Some of them were recently renovated, like the one in front of the main building of Porto University. It's one of our stops during the Heart of Porto running tour.

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You''l need to get up early for a photo like this! Family running tour stop, in front of 'fonte dos Leoes'

Fonte Monumental (dos Leoes / the Lions' fountain) is not decorated with lions but rather with mythical winged creatures called Griffins, half-lion half-eagle, symbolizing mastery over both the earth and the sky. Although very beautiful, the fountain served a technical purpose, when installed in 1886: to relieve the pressure in the pipes of the public supply system in that area of the city.

It was carefully repainted just a few months ago and continues to serve as a meeting spot both for students on a night out and for flocks of tourists, watching street art performances during the day.

The Fountain of Love: a short story of a successful entrepreneur

Fonte dos Amores, was also relocated. It was reassembled in its present location during the 1990's.

One of the missing fountains can now be found in the city park, at the city's northern limit. 

The story:

Long before running clubs were invented, fountains were just as great to meet people and socialise! These were also THE places to find... love! Hence the name: fonte dos Amores... 

This relocated fountain, in particular, was a popular gathering spot for young maidens, who would go there to fetch water for their nearby households.

In search for a business opportunity to make a living, a humble poet nicknamed Cartola, started composing verses of love and longing.

Dashing gentlemen, who frequented the surroundings of Fonte dos Amores, eager to win the hearts of these fair damsels, would purchase Cartola's poems and recite them (or have the poet do it for them) with heartfelt passion.

A one-man poetry-themed startup!

Originally, the fountain was nestled amidst a picturesque rural landscape beyond the city medieval walls, in 'rua das Aguas Ferreas', 5 kms away, next to present day Lapa's metro station.

The iron-rich water (aguas ferreas) that flowed from the 2 spouts of Fonte dos Amores, although believed to help with anemia cases, would leave a distinct metallic taste in the mouth. No wonder gentlemen would rather spend time reading poems and kissing damsels, than drinking its water. The iron stains can still be seen in the fountain (just scroll back up!).

Solving the mystery: there's a running tour for that!

In the Bonfim district, there's a mandatory stop in our Portos B side running tour: Parque das Aguas do Porto. 

This small forested park is presently home to the city's public water supply system huge reservoirs but it also holds an interesting treasure - a collection of fountains!

A great number of the fountains were brought here. It currently feels like an open air museum of fountains, each with its unique story waiting to be told, all with historic relevance and perfectly maintained. 

With the advent of public home water supply (in the 1880's) and motorised vehicles (early 1900's), the demand for water from public fountains decreased and animal watering stations were no longer necessary. Urban redevelopment and the redesign of many streets in Porto made it necessary to find a new location to many of them. This park in the Eastern side of Porto became its gathering point :)

Parque das Aguas is now part of Unesco's global network of 'water museums'.

And surely a great, quiet place for a run. Or a Porto's B Side running tour!

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