THE FOUNTAIN, LEICESTER//Credit: CRIMSON TAZVINZWA
The Lion Fountain, Leicester///CRIMSON TAZVINZWA
A competition was held in 1880, by the municipal water authority of Porto, under the direction of António Pinto de Magalhães (then president of Câmara Municipal of Porto). This resulted in an 1882 contract with the only submeter, the Compagnie Générale des Eaux pour l’Etranger. A decree was issued on 17 July 1882, which elaborated the[clarification needed] and approved the provisional contract, which was promulgated on 27 July.
The Fountain of the Lions (Portuguese: Fonte dos Leões), is a 19th-century fountain built by French company Compagnie Générale des Eaux pour l’Etranger, in the civil parish of Cedofeita, Santo Ildefonso, Sé, Miragaia, São Nicolau e Vitória in municipality of Porto. Cast by the Val d’Osne foundry in France, it is a copy, in most part, of the fountain in the Town Hall Square of Leicester, England
Work was initiated in 1883, to begin the supply of water to the city. This new project included a supply that included the design for the Lion fountain. On 30 August 1883, the design was rejected by the municipal commission, but on 13 August 1885, the municipal representatives approved the project sent by Carlos de Pezerat (4 July). Construction began on 25 September, and water began to flow as on 19 December 1886.
The Fountain of the Lions (Portuguese: Fonte dos Leões), is a 19th-century fountain built by French company Compagnie Générale des Eaux pour l’Etranger, in the civil parish of Cedofeita, Santo Ildefonso, Sé, Miragaia, São Nicolau e Vitória in municipality of Porto. Cast by the Val d’Osne foundry in France, it is a copy, in most part, of the fountain in the Town Hall Square of Leicester, England
By 1 January 1887, the public water supply project for the city of Porto was concluded.
*Both* Porto and Leicester fountains may be copies of a more famous one – the winged lion (St Mark) being a traditional symbol of Venice.
Praça Gomes Teixeira (Gomes Teixeira Square)
The Gomes Teixeira Square is also known as Praça da Universidade (University Square) or Praça dos Leões (Lions Square).
The fountain with winged lions (responsible for the most common denomination of the square) was done in Paris for the Companhia das Águas (Water Company) and was inaugurated in 1878
