So beautiful as to end on a stamp: the fountain of Rosello, symbol of the city of Sassari, in Sardinia, was chosen by Poste Italiane to represent one of the most beautiful monuments in Italy. Today it can be visited a few steps from the covered market, unjustly forgotten.
History of the Fountain of Rosello
Its construction, begun in 1603 and completed in 1606, took place under the Spanish domination by Genoese artisans. The fountain quickly became a vital resource for the inhabitants of Sassari: to transport the water from its springs directly into the houses they used 300 donkeys, which carried on their backs the barrels filled with water. Curiously, in fact, an English visitor passing through the city wrote that: “This supply system is inconvenient, because you often find the entrance of a Sassari house blocked by a man, a beast and a cask”.
In addition to providing drinking water, the fountain was also used to irrigate the surrounding fields and to do laundry and for this reason it had become a sort of nerve center of everyday life. The wash house, still present, is currently under restoration.
Style and architecture of the fountain
The fountain of Rosello is an extraordinary work of marble art, enriched by a set of sculptures that represent the passage of time and the changing of the seasons.
The rectangular plan has a large central basin from which water flows. The statues, resting on a system of arches, represent Spring, with flowers and buds, Summer, with ears of wheat and ripe fruit, Autumn, with falling leaves and bunches of grapes, and Winter, depicted with bare branches. Details certainly not only decorative, but also charged with telling the cyclical nature and the way it influenced the life of the surrounding community.
The fountain also has other decorations, such as masks from which water flows and playful putti that symbolize the purity of the water itself. The central basin is surrounded by columns and balustrades that give a sense of majesty and order to the entire structure.
Over the centuries the monument has suffered significant damage, especially during the anti-feudal movements of the eighteenth century and the bombings of the Second World War. Some statues were lost but were fortunately restored in the 90s, with great attention to the original details.
Foto : Sardegna Turismo
Visit the fountain of Rosello, how and when
The fountain is located in the heart of Sassari, easily accessible from the city center. For the current state of the visit is not recommended for people with mobility difficulties: to reach it on foot you have to take a semi-dirt road.
The opening hours (admission is free) indicated on the sign are Tuesday to Saturday, from 10:00 to 19:00, and Sunday from 10:00 to 14:00. However, they do not always seem to be respected. On closing days, however, the monument can also be seen from above, observing and photographing it from Rosello bridge.
The car, however, can be parked in Via Carlo Alberto or in Piazza d’Italia, both within walking distance.
Despite its historical and artistic importance the fountain deserves more attention, there is no information board on the site and at some times of the year the grass of the lawn is definitely too high.
Four steps to Sassari, with tasting
Visiting the fountain of Rosello is however an excellent starting point to discover the city of Sassari, with the majestic Cathedral of San Nicola, the archaeological collections of the Sanna National Museum, the National Art Gallery (houses an important collection of paintings ranging from the fifteenth century to the present day) and the picturesque old town, made of narrow streets and historic shops.
The fountain, among other things, is located right near the covered market, full of typical Sassari products that offer the opportunity to immerse yourself in the Sardinian culinary traditions and discover the flavors that make this land unique.
Sardinia is famous for its cheeses and in fact at the market you can find some of the most popular and valuable varieties: Sardinian pecorino, sweet and aromatic, Sardinian flower, with an intense and smoked flavor, and ricotta mustia, salty and slightly smoked. Sardinian cured meats are another territorial delight not to be missed: at the market you will find Sardinian sausage, aged according to traditional methods, the cup and raw ham, famous for their rich taste and perfect texture.
During the urban trekking who would resist, then, the temptation offered by the carasau bread and civraxiu bread? The first, originally from Barbagia, is appreciated for its crunchiness and for the “music” it produces when it breaks, the second -perhaps less known- is instead soft, with thick crust and soft crumbs.
You cannot leave Sassari and its market without buying at least one bottle of local wines: Cannonau, a full-bodied and aromatic red, or Vermentino, a fresh and fruity white.
Copertina : Sardegna Turismo
