Laranjeiras Fountain

Well, about the Laranjeiras fountain, based on the reports we found, we know that it was built at the request of the 1st Baron of Quintela, owner of the Laranjeiras Palace. Since there was lack of water, in 1791, the guy proposed to pay the costs of finding water, getting it in to Laranjeiras and building a fountain. After some disagreements about where to pass the tubes, His Majesty decided to have deepened an existing well and built the fountain in front of the Palace. Not exactly in the same place as we have it today. Will come back to this.

The architects were Francisco António Ferreira Cangalhas and Honorato José Correia de Macedo and the works were completed in 1795. It is a fountain with a simple rectangular plan, in limestone stonework.

The documentation also tells us that the coat of arms in the fountain is from D. João VI, as Prince Regent. Not knowing much about heraldry (the science that studies this matter), we would say that the dates match right. Queen Maria I, his mother, went crazy in 1792 and, despite rejecting the idea of an immediate formal regency, the poor guy assumed the role. It makes sense that a fountain built when Prince João had already been on the job for 2/3 years would have his coat of arms.

Probably to make the entrance to the Calçada da Palma de Baixo a bit wider, the fountain was repositioned. In its first version, it was facing the entrance of the Laranjeiras palace. Since 1945, it has been in the same place, at the intersection of the Laranjeiras road and the Calçada, now facing Sete Rios. As a curiosity, we can add that “the dismantling and replacement” of this fountain was budgeted at $18,754 and built for $14,490. In other words, the work cost 4,264$ less than expected. Something very unusual in our country. 😅

Nowadays, the Laranjeiras fountain is still in the same place, beautiful as before, but without running water.

Information:

- Website: Chafariz das Laranjeiras

References:

- ANDRADE, J. (1851) Memória Sobre Chafarizes, Bicas, Fontes e Poços de Lisboa, Belém, e Muitos Logares do Termo. Imprensa Silvana: Lisboa.
- Barreto, Á. S. (1946) Relatório do Presidente da Câmara Municipal de Lisboa. Anais do Município de Lisboa 1945. CML: Lisboa.
- Maia, A. (2007) Monumentos e edifícios notáveis do distrito de Lisboa, Junta Distrital de Lisboa: Lisboa.
- http://www.monumentos.gov.pt/site/APP_PagesUser/SIPA.aspx?id=5087 29/07/2023.
- https://informacoeseservicos.lisboa.pt/contactos/diretorio-da-cidade/chafariz-das-laranjeiras 29/07/2023.
- https://www.arqnet.pt/dicionario/quintela1b.html 29/07/2023.
- https://www.arqnet.pt/portal/portugal/temashistoria/maria1.html 29/07/2023.
- https://www.arqnet.pt/portal/portugal/temashistoria/joao6.html 29/07/2023.

Additional Photographs:

Cover and Social: