The fountain is located on Ul. Sv. Petra Starog.
It’s not every day that fountains from 1880 are in discussion, but situations such as these are just one of the many reasons we choose to live in a place that screams antiquity. Hell, we walk through the walls of a former Roman Emporer’s palace to do our shopping and have drinks with our friends – it’s safe to say that we’re used to seeing our important public monuments out in the open when they’d otherwise be protected in a museum.
Today, you’ll find that there are even more historical gems hidden around Split that are longing to be a part of the city’s celebrated past.
Volunteer platform ‘1postozagrad‘ has launched an initiative for the reconstruction of the historic fountain from 1880 on Ul. Sv. Petar Starog in Split. Signatures of support were collected through Monday, August 29, 2017, when the request was addressed to Split Mayor Andro Krstulović Oparia, the Department of Art, Culture and the Old City Center, the Department of Communal Economy and Security, and the Conservation Department, reports Dalmatinski Portal on August 31, 2017.
“The fountain is now defective and damaged and needs to be repaired and re-enabled to serve the citizens and the guests of Split. The reconstruction is not technically or financially demanding so please, in cooperation with the city’s professional services, renew the fountain and return it to its working function. In addition to restoring the fountain, it is necessary to make sure that it can be easily accessed,” said the letter addressed to the Split mayor and expert services.
The initiative suggests that a bench should be placed on one side of the fountain and greenery placed on the other. The initiative further expresses that this fountain is part of the historical heritage of Split, but also that free drinking water in public spaces is a communal, public health and civilization standard and part of Split’s urban tradition.
“The history of the fountain on Ul. Sv. Petra Starog and its peculiar micro-urbanist solution that has it lifted off of the streets, has not only the utility function of a public trough but also represents the decoration of the city. Established in 1880, the fountain is the result of reflection and investment in the improvement of Split, so its rebuilding and re-commissioning are in line with not only the Split heritage but also the efforts of those who have tried to make the city better,” the group added in the request.
The group concluded that the restoration of the city’s waterways affirms water as a public good and that they hope those who have been asked to recognize this initiative will pledge to make it right.
Apart from Zagreb, the platform 1postozagrad has been engaged in several initiatives – either current or in preparation – in many Dalmatian cities regarding historic and new public utilities. All efforts are used as part of a wider campaign for the greater presence of free drinking water spots in public spaces, or the affirmation of water as a public good.
