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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Grande Fontaine de Caunes-Minervois is fed by the Fount Roumanel source, captured in 1803 near the bed of the Double Silver. This source, enclosed in a solid construction, provided abundant drinking water for the inhabitants. Its operation marked a key step in supplying the village, as evidenced by the marble plate engraved on site.

In 1825, during the reign of Charles X, a seven-metre-high red marble obelisk was erected, overtaking a square pedestal decorated with veined white marble plates. Four marble claws pour the water into a circular basin, while Latin and French inscriptions, engraved on each side, celebrate the permanence of the monarchy and the fugacity of time. One of them, on the east side, recalls: "Mortels, think about it well / The quick time to escape / Pass like this water / Not to come back again".

The building, commissioned under the aegis of Count A. de Baumont (prefect of the Aude) and directed by J. Galinier (Deputy Mayor of Caunes), was inscribed in historical monuments in 1948. Even today, the water of the Romanel Fountain directly feeds the Grande Fontaine via pipes, perpetuating its central role in local life.

Architecturally, the obelisk rests on a square penbate coated with white marble, while the clawheads, crowned with vine pamps, illustrate remarkable craftsmanship. The inscriptions, in engraved capitals, combine classical references ("Huc veniant, veniant omnes") and political tributes, reflecting the values of the era.

Located in Place d'Aiguebelle (or 1 place Grande Fontaine depending on the sources), the fountain belongs to the municipality. Its state of conservation and its precise location (approximate GPS coordinates) make it a major heritage landmark of the Minervois, between Carcassonne and Narbonne.

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