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Origin and history

The fountain of Sigale, erected in 1583, is located in Place de l'Église, in the village of Sigale, in the Alpes-Maritimes. It is considered the oldest public fountain in Nice County after that of Peille. Its Latin inscription indicates that it was built during the reign of Charles-Emmanuel, Duke of Savoy, by consuls Antoine Michaelis, Gabriel Orcel and Gabriel Tomel. A second epigraph mentions a restoration in 1811 by P. A. Dalmassy, then mayor and public officer of the French Empire.

Water from this fountain was captured north of the village. It was listed as historic monuments on 28 February 1927. A recent restoration, funded by Veolia and contested, resulted in the removal of a decorative ball and a wrought iron pattern probably dating from the 18th century. This intervention, although authorized by the Architects of the French Buildings, was criticized for its failure to respect the principles of the Venice Charter.

The fountain of Sigale bears witness to the importance of public water points in medieval and modern villages. At the time of its construction, the public fountains were rare, making it an emblematic monument of local history. Its architecture and inscriptions make it a precious vestige of the Savoyard past of the region, before its attachment to France.

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