Pomegranate Fountain, Turin

Pomegranate Fountain (Fontana del melograno) in Turin is a simple and at the same time very unusual fountain. It is a copy of an old medieval fountain in one of the Italian castles.

History and present state

In 1911, the historic-archaeological and art exhibition was to be held in Rome. Within the framework of the Piedmont Pavilion, a copy of a part of the Castello di Issogne located in the Alps, was created for it. The architect Vittorio Avondo was the author. Together with the walls and courtyard of the medieval structure, a fountain was created, which in the 16th century was built in the castle. It was a copy made by a blacksmith Cesare Bianchi di Orta. His forge was located in the mountains, in the courtyard of that castle. After completion of the exposition, the structure was dismantled and the fountain was taken to Turin. It was placed in the Museum of Ancient Art. But already in 1928 the fountain was moved to the medieval village, which is located in Parco del Valentino.

The fountain is an exact copy of the structure, which was located in the courtyard of a medieval castle. It was in the center of a small Renaissance garden. A stone octagonal pool with water is its base, a small pomegranate tree made of iron rises in the center. Water flows out from the hole in the tree. As a result of oxidation, a metal tree began to collapse in 1970. To prevent corrosion, it was coated with gold. So now the pomegranate tree shines brightly in the sun.

How to get there

The fountain is located in the depths of the southern part of the park, on Viale Virgilio. It is worth going a little further, and you will see the beautiful Fountain of the Twelve Months. Torino Esposizioni Public Transport Stop is in a 5-minute walk. It can be reached by tram 9, and by buses (№ 47, 67, 108, 260, 299, 302).