The "Zampillo" fountain

For years now, this fountain has become the symbol of Sanremo itself. When there is an important event in the city, such as the Festival della Canzone or the cycling race Milano - Sanremo or others, the first thing you see on television or in the newspapers is the fountain of the "Zampillo".

And it is no coincidence that it is called this because when, on 12 March 1884, thanks to the merits of Giovanni Marsaglia's enterprise and the well-deserving mayor Bartolomeo Asquasciati, the Aqueduct named after the builder arrived in the city, the first jet of water from the Argallo springs "gushed" at this point.
To celebrate this event, a memorial plaque was placed at the base of the fountain in 1950.

But the original fountain was certainly not like the one we see today. The place is the same, but the original was simply a small basin with a small conical point in the middle from which water gushed out, but it was important because for the first time water could be drawn outside the primordial basins and therefore closer to one's needs.

Several pictures show the green space that used to be part of Via Roma (which then began at the end of Via Fiume) and is now located at the beginning of Corso Orazio Raimondo.

At the beginning it was just a flowerbed full of palms and agaves, as well as a common green space surrounded by a low fence and the fountain was almost invisible, but as time went by and Sanremo became an increasingly important city, they tried to improve its appearance.
A small cast iron fountain, as you can see many around the city, was placed in a prominent position on the roadside, the flowerbed was better cared for, enhancing both the palms and the other plants.
Flowering plants were added to the previously neglected grass, adding colour to the appearance of the flowerbed.

By this time the city was on the road to international tourism and the water now reached many public points and, for the wealthy, even private ones.

The "Zampillo" had lost its original function, and so it was decided to use it as an embellishment of the street furniture that was gradually taking over the entire city.

In the post-war period, while maintaining the green flowerbed, a luninous fountain was built inside a shell-shaped basin which still characterises it.

From: L'Eco della Riviera of 22nd January 1950 we read:
At the "ZAMPILLO" a luminous fountain.
« Work is going on to reorganize the Zampillo flower-bed in order to eliminate the curve that has caused so many accidents. Another fountain will be built in the flowerbed, as long as the traditional name does not become vain.
This time much larger than the previous one and luminous so as to form a magnificent backdrop to the night-time illumination of Via Roma, the work has been entrusted to a company from Milan ».

The name of Sanremo behind the fountain, highlighted in very large letters, was added later.

The brightness of the fountain is characterised by the possibility of varying the colour of the water, normally with successive shades, or of using a single colour on the occasion of particular events.

(free elaboration from texts by Andrea Gandolfo and other sources; images from personal archives)