Focus on Fountain of the Virtues and discuss the Architecture.
The fountain is at the end of the calçada das Virtudes in the north, a grandioso support wall for the pedestrian Passeio das Virtudes, in the south and west, are the terraced estates that belong to the majorat manors and spring of Calçada das Virtudes.It consists of a central, high backrest with two pilasters supporting a cornice and frontispiece interrupted by royal coat of arms. Between the fluted pilasters, is a lower cartouche with inscription, while the upper cartouche consists of two castles in high relief, one on either side of an edicule (where at one time there would have existed an image of the Virgin, in her invocation as Senhora dos Virtudes). This combination of imagery taken together represents the coat-of-arms of the city of Oporto. On each side of this set is an acrobatic pyramid attached to their respective pilasters by a scroll. The lower central part includes two frowning Renaissance faces from which are the water spouts.The Latin inscription is inserted within a decorative rectangle in marble:
Fons scalet illustri virtutum nomine dictus: Qui sitit, has lymphas absque tomire bibat. Ante cavernoso de pumice degener ibat: Obstabant pigra limus et umbra mora. Publica conspicuas expensa duxit in auras, Utque loco flueret commodiore dedit. Inde viau stavit, dejecitque ordines se des, Gratiatam gratis maior ut esset aquis. Anno MDCXIXIs a fountain of Scalea, the illustrious was given the name of virtues: He who is thirsty, has, without the volumes of the water 's edge to drink. Before the cavernous roof of a degenerate go barred inert clay and shadow time. The public, can be seen that he had paid, and brought him into the air, Just as she gave the place, might flow in a more comfortable. From this it is Viau up slowly, dejecitque inherent order, des, with greater grace, that it might be by the waters of its recipient. In the year 1619
Senhora dos Virtudes fountain