Font de Santa Anna is a historic public fountain at Carrer de la Cucurulla, 6, in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter. Built in the 14th century, it supplied water to the surrounding area and served horses heading out of the old city. Its five visible sides carry blue and yellow ceramic work added around 1918, giving the fountain a distinctive look among the narrow streets. Stop to examine the tiles and the trough to the south, then continue exploring the surrounding quarter.
A fountain built for the old city
Font de Santa Anna was built in 1356 and 1357, after space was cleared in Plaça de Santa Anna for a fountain and a trough for horses. It became part of Barcelona’s first public water system supplied from Collserola. Its location served everyday needs: the fountain stood near the old Portal de l’Àngel, where people and animals gathered before leaving the city.
The fountain continued to provide water to local residents long after its construction. Until 1940, it supplied a tenth of the city’s population, at a time when homes did not have indoor plumbing. Horses also stopped here to drink before travelling out of town. The trough remains to the south of the fountain.
From an octagon to five visible sides
The original Gothic structure was octagonal. Later building work covered three of its sides, leaving five visible today. That change reflects the fountain’s position within the built-up old city: its outline was altered as the surrounding street and buildings changed, while the fountain remained at its original location.
Look at how the structure fits into the small pedestrian space on Carrer de la Cucurulla. Its visible shape is not the full form of the original fountain, but the remaining sides still make its earlier design legible. The combination of stonework, ceramic decoration and the nearby horse trough gives the site several details to take in during a brief stop.
The 1918 ceramic decoration
In 1918, artist Josep Aragay added a ceramic scheme to the medieval fountain. Blue and yellow tiles cover parts of the structure, with decorative figures, garlands, hydras and Barcelona’s coat of arms among the motifs. The later work gave a practical water source a more ornamental appearance without removing its older role in the street.
The fountain’s history can be read in these layers: a public water point built in the 14th century, altered as the surrounding city developed, then decorated with early 20th-century ceramics. It remains a small but clear record of how an everyday piece of urban infrastructure changed over time.
Perguntas frequentes
Where is Font de Santa Anna?
It is at Carrer de la Cucurulla, 6, in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter.
When was Font de Santa Anna built?
The fountain was built in 1356 and 1357.
What should I look for at the fountain?
Notice the blue and yellow ceramic decoration added in 1918, including figures, garlands, hydras and the city arms. The horse trough is on the south side.
What was Font de Santa Anna used for?
It supplied water to local residents and served as a watering place for horses leaving the old city. It still supplied a tenth of the city’s population until 1940.
