The Old Fountain of Furnari

The story of the Old Fountain in Furnari

Furnari is a small town in the Metropolitan City of Messina, located along the northern coast of Sicily and divided into two areas, one in the mountains and one in the sea.
The village, now populated by just under 4.000 inhabitants, has very ancient origins, which date back to Middle Ages, when lord of the area was the King Roger II. One of Furnari's best-known symbols is the Old Fountain, once used for cleaning stockfish: a real monument to the city's history, which brings back not too distant traditions, but now disused and entered in history.
In the past, the fountain was called Margarita and was the only public fountain in the country: Garden Square in the Caterina district, the place where the source is located, was a commercial hub in the Middle Ages through which many precious goods such as salt passed; work on the fountain began in the 2013s and was only completed in XNUMX with the sculpture donated by the Associazione Fabbri d'Arte.
Today the square and the fountain in Furnari have become a symbol, as well as a place dear to the Sicilian community, and here children, adults and the elderly gather to chat or take a tour of the market; from time to time, when there are breakdowns in the water mains and the supply of drinking water to the houses in the town is suspended, the fountain returns to its original function and all the citizens of Furnari arrive in the square to get fresh water from bring home.

The architecture of the fountain in Furnari

Located in Piazza Orti, the Fountain in Furnari has the shape of a circular basin and is mainly built in brick. The tub rests on a platform, also made of bricks, which raises it slightly from the ground. At the center of the pool is the sculpture donated in 2013 by the Associazione Fabbri d'arte: three sharp stems pointing upwards emerge from the water, while halfway up there are as many amphorae, from which water plays emerge.

What to do around the Furnari fountain

A trading center since the XNUMXth century, Piazza Orti is still today a market place: those who come to Furnari to see the fountain on market days can also do some shopping at the stalls in the square.
In piazza Orti it is very easy to strike up a conversation: those interested in hearing the story of the Furnari fountain can contact the local elders, who will be happy to indulge in adventurous or amusing tales of the past.
Furnari is divided into two districts, one mountain and one maritime: the perfect place for a holiday where you can combine relaxation, entertainment and culture. Visiting the town, in addition to the Fontana Vecchia, one cannot overlook the Mother Church of Furnari, built in the XNUMXth century and dedicated to the Holy Cross, the Church of the Patron Saint, St. Anthony of Padua and the Palace of the Martian Princes, important and wealthy family of the area.

Other points of interest in the village are the centuries-old pine tree at the entrance to the city and the Tonnarella, Furnari beach.
In the summer months, many parties and festivals take place in the small Sicilian town where you can taste the local flavors and really experience the atmosphere of a small community which on these occasions releases all its enthusiasm.
What to taste in Furnari? Wine and oil, of course: the nectar of the gods has been famous in these parts since ancient Roman times, while various festivals are dedicated to oil. The Sicilian gastronomic heritage is another of the attractions that will captivate the visitors of Furnari.

Sea lovers will find in Furnari a fantastic base for exploring the surroundings: from the town's Marina you can reach the beaches (such as the Tonnarella) or the Marinello Lakes Nature Reserve just 11 km away, with its breathtaking colours. The peculiarity of these basins is that they vary in size according to the tides, in fact they arise on the basis of the sand which is "discovered" by the displacement of the water.
In the opposite direction, less than 8 km, there is Terme Vigliatore, with its beautiful beaches.

Sticking around, you can visit it too Tindari with its beautiful archaeological area: here you go back in time, where mythology meets architecture at the Temple of Jupiter and Neptune. There are many other attractions on the site, from Roman domus to ancient coins.
Those who visit Furnari and Tindari can complete the tour in north-eastern Sicily by reaching Brolo, where in the summer there is the Ice Cream Festival and there is no shortage of attractions to visit such as the Castle, Tone Cave and the beautiful San Gregorio beach: only 33 km separate Brolo from Furnari.

How to get to the old fountain of Furnari

Furnari, in the Metropolitan City of Messina, can be reached by car, both from the Strait and from Palermo with the Panoramic Road that runs along the Tyrrhenian Sea or, alternatively, via the A19 and A20 to the Falcone exit, to then continue on the SS 113 and follow the signs to Furnari.