Font de Santa Anna, Barcelona
The Font de Santa Anna is the oldest fountain in Barcelona and one of the first to be built. It is located at the end of Portal de l’Àngel avenue, on the corner of Carrer de la Cucurulla in the center of the city’s old town.
Started in 1356, it was first a watering hole that was used by travelers who stayed at the nearby Hostal del Vallès to take care of their horses. In 1375 it was expanded with the addition of a fountain that originally had eight sides, however now there are only five sides and two faucets.
On its 5 sides it features beautiful murals created by Josep Aragay in 1918 using noucentista ceramic panels in the traditional Catalan style. The vases that crown the upper part of the fountain are replacements made in 2002 from the original molds, as the ones that adorned it before had deteriorated. In the center of the fountain you can see the shield of the city of Barcelona, sculpted in stone, and on four of the five sides there are masks through which water nozzles are extended.
The fountain is attached to the Royal Artistic Circle of Barcelona “Reial Cercle Artístic del Barcelona”, which was founded in 1881 by leading artists of the time including Joaquim Mir, Ramón Casas, Isidre Nonell and Hermenegildo Anglada Camarasa.
Did you know that
The Circle was recently remodeled and now covers part of the fountain, obscuring 3 of the 8 original sides. This has generated much discomfort among citizens who see it as a visual deterioration of the fountain apart along with the dangers it represents for its conservation.
