Fontana in Pietra - Lucca - Tuscany

This building is located in a small park near the Fonatana in Pietra.

In Lucca's history, that of water is a story in reverse. While other cities sprang up on the banks of rivers, the inhabitants of Lucca stayed far away.

The foundation of the city, in Roman times, was a challenge in the middle of a plain where water ruled, with streams and swamps. The name of the town itself is derived from the Ligurian word Luk, which means a place where light is reflected.

However, no aqueducts or water reservoirs were needed, just an undisclosed number of wells, from which the water was drawn directly from the subsoil, and ditches and "fratte" that crossed the center for a long time to drain the water.

In 1863, the monumental aqueduct was finally completed, bringing (still) excellent and healthy running water from the Monti Pisani to the modern city. Within the walls, as along the arches, a number of soberly designed small fountains "for civilian use" and a few more important "luxury" fountains to embellish the squares.

Willem Vandenameele