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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The fountain of Adam and Eve, located on Sirmond Street in Riom, dates from the mid-17th century. Made of Volvic stone, it is inspired by the style of the Second Italian Renaissance. His two cariatids, representing male and female bare torsos, support a pediment with a pediment. A head of egipan spits water in a basin, while a cartridge bears a Latin inscription evoking confidence in drinking water, restored in 1714.

The water supply in Riom dates back to 1277, when the abbot of Mozac granted the consuls the right to exploit the source of Dragonescha. After the plague of 1631, the terracotta pipes were replaced by Volvic stone in 1644. The fountain, attributed to the sculptors Jean Languille or his son Guillaume, symbolizes access to healthy water, contrasting with previously polluted wells. It was listed as a historic monument in 1913.

The name Adam and Eve comes from the cariatids, although their navel contradicts the biblical legend. A mascaron, fruit garlands and Riom weapons complete the ornamentation. The Latin inscription, translated by Father Bonnet, celebrates the purity of water: "Drink now, you who could not yet believe in me, the nymph of this water. The fountain thus illustrates the evolution of hydraulic networks and local baroque art.

In 1796 Father Jean Bonnet identified 62 fountains in Riom, highlighting their central role in urban life. The fountain of Adam and Eve, backed by a house, marks the corner of Sirmond and Gomot streets. Its style, although late for the Renaissance, bears witness to the persistent Italian influence in Auvergne in the 17th century.

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