La Foncalada, a fountain in Oviedo, Spain, is a testament to the pre-Romanesque art of the Asturian civilization. Built by King Alfonso III of Asturias in the 9th century, it is the only surviving civil architectural item for public use of the Early Middle Ages. The fountain is decorated with the Victory Cross, a symbol of Asturias, and its name comes from the inscription 'fontem calatam' on it. Originally placed next to an ancient Roman road, La Foncalada is included with other Asturian Pre-Romanesque sites on the UNESCO World Heritage Site List since 1998. Two inscriptions remain on the fountain. The first inscription says 'With this sign the pious are protected, With this sign you shall defeat the enemy'. The second inscription says 'Lord, put the sign of the salvation on this fountain to not allow hitting angel to enter'.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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