Barreira Fountain

Category: Civil Architecture > Fountain

District: Portalegre > Alter do Chão > Alter do Chão

Location:

The Chafariz da Barreira (Barreira Fountain) is located in Praça dos Doze Melhores de Alter, in the heart of the village of Alter do Chão. It is situated in a spacious and pleasant landscaped square, an open and inviting space that encourages a break. The atmosphere of the place is tranquil, with stone benches and vegetation that includes palm trees and pine trees, framing the fountain and providing a serene atmosphere for visitors.

Style and Architectural Details:

This wall fountain, with its Baroque-inspired architecture, stands out for the elegance of its lines. The structure is built of granite masonry, plastered and painted white, highlighted by yellow fillets that run across its surface. The rectilinear back panel is divided into three sections by Tuscan pilasters, adorned at the capitals and bases with stylized acanthus foliage. The ensemble is topped by a frieze and cornice, with the central panel being more elevated, featuring a counter-curved tablet flanked by cut-out volutes and crowned by tall pinnacles.

In the central panel of the back, an oval cartouche ornamented with acanthus displays the coats of arms of the village of Alter do Chão and the House of Braganza, connecting the fountain to the municipal and noble history of the region. From the base of the fountain, three spouts, made of stonework and shaped like cannons, gush water into a rectilinear tank with simple stone edges, whose interior is painted blue. There is also a side door that provides access to the piping, a detail of its original functionality.

Historical Legacy:

The Chafariz da Barreira has its roots in the 18th century, having been built in 1799 at the initiative of the Municipal Council of Alter do Chão. A stone plaque, embedded in the back panel, records this date and its construction under the presidency of Francisco António de Mora e Seixas Lemos. Although its initial function was to supply water to the community, the fountain was later subjected to a significant intervention. In 1968, it underwent reconstruction and relocation to its current site, demonstrating the importance the village attributes to it as a heritage element. It is important to note that, currently, the water gushing from the fountain is not suitable for human consumption.

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