Well-head at night!

If you wonder around Venice get ready to find on your way lots of these "vere da pozzo" (well-heads), placed in the centre of many "campi e campielli" (squares and little squares).
Now they may look just like a "ornaments" but some of them are true art masterpieces and in the past they have been, for centuries, essential part of the venitians daily life, providing the potable water to the population.

They were placed in the middle of the square, on an higher position, the rain water was convey, thru some manholes, into the sandy underground, which was working like a true filter, for then being collected in a water tank (cistern) just under the well. There was as well underground, all around the well-head and cistern, a funnel-shaped layer of clay, which was a waterproof protection against salty water infiltrations from the lagoon! The water was so ready to be collected as usual with buckets! There were strict rules concerning the behaviour to have about the wells, for example it was forbidden to get close to them with dirty hands and buckets or to allow animals to drink from there.

This blipped one is just one of the many wells you can find around Venice, i took the shot quickly, while walking with friends, memory card nearly full...not one of the best way to show these well-heads to you but i'll try a better shot asap...anyway in case you'll visit this town, try not to walk around them with indifference, cos you may miss some true pieces of art! :-)