In just about every part of Siena, there are fonti (fountains), big or small, massive or elegant, or simply charming, beautiful to sit by and admire.

As Siena had no nearby fresh water source, acqueducts and complex irrigation systems were built in and around the city.

Many fountains were built on what were once the outskirts of Siena; these were multi-purpose basins of water, for cooking, drinking and agricultural use, with roofs to protect the water from pollution.

These fountains became the gateways to the city, and the water was extremely precious.

Aside from Siena’s oldest or most impressive fountains, such as Fonte Gaia at Piazza del Campo, each contrada has a fountain, which celebrates its own symbol, and serves as the site for outdoor baptisms each

year.

Fontebranda dated back to 1100 the oldest of the Sienese fountains, on its right side there is a plaque quoting Dante’s mention of it in the ‘Inferno’ of his Divina Commedia.

The Fonte d’Ovile was built in 1260 to replace an earlier one and the Fonte del Casato built in a central zone of the city and the Gothic-style Fonte Nuova d’Ovile.