Fountain of Rua das Taipas

Fountain of Rua das Taipas
Chafariz da 'Rua das Taipas'
MediumGranite Fountain
LocationPorto, Portugal
Coordinates41°8′35″N 8°37′4″W / 41.14306°N 8.61778°W / 41.14306; -8.61778
OwnerCâmara Municipal de Porto

The Fountain of Rua das Taipas (Portuguese: Chafariz da Rua das Taipas) is a fountain in the civil parish of Cedofeita, Santo Ildefonso, Sé, Miragaia, São Nicolau e Vitória, in the municipality of Porto, Portugal.

History

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The fountain and its niche along Rua das Taipas

In 1772, the residents along the Largo do Postigo das Virtudes presented the municipal council with a request to construct a fountain.[1]

Although there is no indication when the fountain was constructed or completed, by the end of the 18th century, there was already a need to substitute the pre-existing fountain with another.[1]

Architecture

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The fountain is flanked by buildings along the Rua das Virtudes in the historic centre of Porto.[1]

The granite fountain is part of a pyramidal obelisk decorated with a sphere recessed within a deep niche of rounded portico, flanked by pilasters.[1] At the base of the obelisk is a tank and over that a semi-circular dish.[1] On each of these elements (the obelisk and the semi-circular dish) are water spouts. The portico served as a shelter as much as a source of water.[1] Over the entablature is a central column with plinth, surmounted by pinnacle. Much of the fountain is decorated with vegetal elements, but also includes a mirror-like circular element on the obelisk.[1]

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Sereno, Isabel (1994). SIPA (ed.). "Fonte da Rua das Taipas (IPA.00000502/PT011312150026)" (in Portuguese). Lisbon, Portugal: SIPA–Sistema de Informação para o Património Arquitectónico. Retrieved 15 April 2017.

Sources

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  • Património Arquitectónico e Arqueológico Classificado (in Portuguese), vol. II, Lisbon, Portugal: IPPAR, 1993
  • Porto a Património Mundial (in Portuguese), Porto, Portugal, 1993{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Silva, Germano da (2000), Fontes e Chafarizes do Porto (in Portuguese), Porto, Portugal{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)