Fountain near Triacastela on the San Xil Route

[Cuttooth]

Anyone know the story about the fountain in the image below? I was able to find it on google maps, sort of Map Link

 

[zenofmatthew]

Built by the nuns of St Xil in 1497, this fountain has served as beacon to travelers, bringing them away from the brothers at Samos.

Nah - just being funny. We arrived at sunrise and the reflection on the fountain was wonderful. I thought there was a sign next to it, but alas my memory is on the sunshine not the sign.

 

[CWBuff]

Yeah - I was definitely drawn to it but alas I have no knowledge of any story (but I do like the St Xil nun diversion one )
This one was taken on 18 June at 6:00AM

 

[Cuttooth]

Built by the nuns of St Xil in 1497, this fountain has served as beacon to travelers, bringing them away from the brothers at Samos.

Nah - just being funny. We arrived at sunrise and the reflection on the fountain was wonderful. I thought there was a sign next to it, but alas my memory is on the sunshine not the sign.

You had me going there for a hot minute.... I was thinking - those were some crafty sisters ;-)

 

[Kathor1]

Anyone know the story about the fountain in the image below?
View attachment 131683

I guess if there were much of a story to tell about this fountain it could be found in "The Complete Cultural Handbook" about the Camino de Santiago by David Gitliz and Linda Davidson.

Their account is short: It is the modern Fuente Vieira, remodelled for the Holy Year 1993.

And (translated) from a Spanish blog: This was originally a simple water pipe/spout that still remains, but for the 1993 Holy Year, it was adorned with a huge scallop, and a large stone bench was placed around it.

 

[Kathor1]

I thought there was a sign next to it

There is. I didn't notice the plaque but at least one person took a photo once. The text is difficult to read but one can make out the words Xunta - "Government", with "Galicia" beneath it perhaps - and then the words Conselleria de Agricultura, Ganaderia y Montes - "Department for Agriculture, Lifestock Farming and Mountains" - followed by "1992". The Holy Year 1993 was the year for which the regional government of Galicia had heavily promoted the Camino de Santiago to attract Spanish and international visitors to Galicia. It is the year when the contemporary Camino de Santiago really took off as an international destination. The fountain was presumably financed in the context of a program for rural development - hence the department for agriculture is named and not a department for culture or religion or tourism.

So there is a story to the fountain after all. More recent and more prosaic than expected perhaps but a story nevertheless.

 

[Cuttooth]

There is. I didn't notice the plaque but at least one person took a photo once. The text is difficult to read but one can make out the words Xunta - "Government", with "Galicia" beneath it perhaps - and then the words Conselleria de Agricultura, Ganaderia y Montes - "Department for Agriculture, Lifestock Farming and Mountains" - followed by "1992". The Holy Year 1993 was the year for which the regional government of Galicia had heavily promoted the Camino de Santiago to attract Spanish and international visitors to Galicia. It is the year when the contemporary Camino de Santiago really took off as an international destination. The fountain was presumably financed in the context of a program for rural development - hence the department for agriculture is named and not a department for culture or religion or tourism.

So there is a story to the fountain after all. More recent and more prosaic than expected perhaps but a story nevertheless.

View attachment 131707

Prosaic as it may be it is exactly what I was looking for! Thank you for taking the time to relay the story.

 

[zenofmatthew]

There is. I didn't notice the plaque but at least one person took a photo once. The text is difficult to read but one can make out the words Xunta - "Government", with "Galicia" beneath it perhaps - and then the words Conselleria de Agricultura, Ganaderia y Montes - "Department for Agriculture, Lifestock Farming and Mountains" - followed by "1992". The Holy Year 1993 was the year for which the regional government of Galicia had heavily promoted the Camino de Santiago to attract Spanish and international visitors to Galicia. It is the year when the contemporary Camino de Santiago really took off as an international destination. The fountain was presumably financed in the context of a program for rural development - hence the department for agriculture is named and not a department for culture or religion or tourism.

So there is a story to the fountain after all. More recent and more prosaic than expected perhaps but a story nevertheless.

View attachment 131707

This isn't the sign I remember, but thinking back on things, no way was there a rectangular sign similar to the roadside ones we see in the US. Faulty memory proven

Thanks a lot @Cuttooth - now I'm busy remembering this crazy fountain and that mornings proceedings.