Fontana di Piazza Ferrucci

In the main square of the town (named after Francesco Ferrucci), we find this beautiful fountain of an isolated shape, placed in the center of a space, according to canons widespread in the Middle Ages, even if this is off-center with respect to the square. It shows a seventeenth-eighteenth century workmanship, consists of a large round base with squared and chiselled blocks of pietra serena, on which the body of the fountain is set in the center, a monolithic spherical half-cap, supported by six molded brackets, from which an obelisk rises, concluded by a stone sphere and a wrought iron cross; at the base of the obelisk are the four water spouts, spouts in cast and turned bronze. Even if the precise date of construction is not identified, we know that in 1725 the obelisk was made with the small cross above it to be placed on the fountain, which therefore already existed. This information comes from a meeting on 26 July 1725 in which a party was made for the allocation of money for public expenses, including payments to Maestro Giov. Domenico Vignoli stonemason for having made part of the column and to Maestro Domenico Lori for having made the small cross for the public fountain. Originally the fountain had three circular platforms above it that formed a staircase and therefore the fountain was higher than the square where it stood in a different position to the current one, more central and moved to the south. On the body of the pinnacle the dates 1854 are engraved on two faces, referring to a restoration, and 1956 which instead refers to the year of the move. In fact, to allow easier circulation, made more difficult after the construction of the monument to Ferrucci, the fountain was moved a few meters, the base was altered and the steps disappeared. Some photographs, engravings and old postcards remain of the original shape. Location Gavinana