Water Supply in the Plaza de San Francisco in Seville between the 13th and 16th Centuries. Medieval Functionality and Renaissance Scenography

Abstract

Thanks to the unpublished documentation traced in the Archivo de la Provincia Bética OFM (Archive of the Sevillian Franciscan Friars Minors), it has been possible to reconstruct the evolution of the water supply and sewerage system in the Plaza de San Francisco from the conquest of Seville until the 16th century. The documents include the drawings of the project for the installation of the fountain in 1545, the first planimetric representation of the square that we have preserved. Analysis of this urban element, both in its functional and formal aspects, reveals the incorporation of ornamental features and scenographic intentions, confirming the presence of modern thought and with it, new ways of understanding urban space. The indications that emerge from the study appear to bring the proposal closer to Diego de Riaño’s sphere of influence, relating it to the fountain project for the square that accompanied his plans.