Fontana delle Tette

The fountain was built in 1559 at the behest of the podestà of Treviso, Alvise Da Ponte, on the occasion of a severe drought that had struck the city. The work was installed in the courtyard of the Palazzo dei Trecento, in Piazza dei Signori, and was meant to celebrate the abundance and prosperity of the Serenissima.
A curious aspect of the Fontana delle Tette relates to its function during public holidays: when a new podestà was elected, for three days white wine flowed from one breast and red wine from the other, offered free to the citizens. This rite celebrated the bond between Treviso and good wine, making the fountain a meeting point and a place of festivity for the population.
The original Fontana delle Tette suffered damage over time and was severely damaged in 1797 during the Napoleonic invasion. Its original bust is now preserved under the Loggia of Palazzo dei Trecento, in Piazza dei Signori.