Protecting the most significant buildings, monuments and features of Valletta (8)

Old Slaughterhouse fountain

This fountain is located within a concave alcove along St. Christopher Street between the blocks of the former slaughterhouse and faces Triq iż-Żekka.

In May 1566 the chance discovery of a natural spring in St Christopher Street facing Old Mint Street was amply celebrated as a 'miracle' by both the Knights and the locals.

A large, globular reservoir was dug in the rock to collect the water issuing from the newly discovered spring, and a fountain was built over it for the public to collect water from. Later on it was fed water from Wignacourt's Aqueduct channelled from Palace Square. The fountain had two intertwined dolphins set within a niche and which used to spout water into a small semicircular granite basin, but these were removed in the early 1960's.

The place became known to all as the 'Gran Fontana' a name later replaced by 'Fontana della Bucieria' (biċċerija), from the old slaughter house building still standing to the rear of the fountain.

Mepa scheduled the Old Slaughterhouse fountain as a Grade 1 national monument as per Government Notice number 276/08 in the Government Gazette dated March 28.