Description

 

The City Council of Andujar ordered its realization to Don Jose Gallego, master builder of the cathedral of Jaén, although his project was made by Mr. Francisco Ortega, master painter of the town of Madrid. In the year of 1739 the fountain was finished and it was supplied by the water pillar that was near the convent of St. Francisco. Later water will come from a spring or cornea of ​​the Watchtower. From this source the entire population of Andujar was supplied with water, since it exceeded the quality of the water from the Guadalquivir River

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The original location of the fountain was the Market Square, where it remained, probably, until the end of the 19th century, and later moved to the Victoria peak. The cause that motivated the change of location is not clear, because the only reference we have in this regard comes from the weekly El Guadalquivir and only says: "a mayor of the city who lived in the hillock of Victoria took it there." (1)

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As mayor Rafael Perez de Vargas, Count of Quinteria, it was thought that it would be convenient to place it in a more central place. Two possible locations were managed: the Reina Victoria Square (Market Square) and the Santa Maria Square. The decision fell to the first option and Sunday April 4, 1926 was inaugurated in its new location with a concert by the municipal band of Andujar.

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It was not the action of everyone's taste and it would even be criticized from the Madrilenian newspaper Informaciones in an article entitled, In defense of art, where the act of attack was described. The count of the Quinteria answered in writing to the referred newspaper, arguing: "The source moved to the Reina Victoria Square, before Constitution Square, for being the main one of this city, so that, occupying the center of it , can said source be exposed as it deserves and also be continuously guarded and monitored, which was difficult to achieve in the place that previously occupied, almost outside the city. " From El Guadalquivir, which defended the position of the Corporation, it was stated that the deterioration of the source was due more than to the passage of time to the treatment that the children gave him in his old location.

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Although the arguments that are expressed have their logic, the fundamental reason for which moved was the desire to embellish the center of the city on the occasion of the VII Centenary of the appearance of the Virgen de la Cabeza (1227-1927). After the Civil War the fountain was located in its current location, Beato Criado Square, next to the parish of St. Michael

1 El Guadalquivir, dated June 25, 1925

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Association of Friends of the Patrimony of Andujar