Chestnut Tree Fountain

Category: Civil Architecture > Spring / Fountain

District: Coimbra > Coimbra > Santo António dos Olivais > Arregaça

Location

The Castanheiro Fountain is located in the Arregaça area, in Santo António dos Olivais, Coimbra municipality. It is situated on the street that inherited its name, Rua da Fonte do Castanheiro, near the Norton de Matos neighborhood. Although today it is integrated into the city's urban fabric, this fountain was, in other times, located on the outskirts of Coimbra, which gave it the character of a refuge and a point of passage for those travelling to or from the city.

Memory and Significance

This place holds a value that transcends its physical form, being linked to the memories of several generations of Coimbra residents. The Castanheiro Fountain is not merely an architectural element, but a landmark with a recognized past. It is part of the city's heritage and collective memory, bearing witness to its evolution over time.

A Cultural Legacy

Its importance in the community's daily life was such that the fountain was immortalized in popular verses, as can be seen in the quatrain "Vamos beber água / À Fonte do Castanheiro" (Let's drink water / At the Castanheiro Fountain). This mention in songs and oral traditions highlights the role it played as a meeting point and a source of supply, revealing its cultural and social dimension for the inhabitants of the region.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt