THE POMEGRANATE FOUNTAIN

At the centre of the courtyard is the Pomegranate Fountain, created in the 16th century, perhaps as a wedding gift from Georges de Challant on the occasion of the marriage of his nephew Philibert to Louise d’Aarberg. An octagonal stone basin collects the water coming out of the spouts. The tree is made of iron and at one time its trunk would have been gilded, while the oak leaves and pomegranate fruit were respectively green and red. The fountain, a regular feature in Renaissance gardens, brings with it many symbolic elements and its presence contributes to the enchantment of an “Italian-style” garden, or rather a garden with geometric spaces defined by hedges and water features. A faithful copy of the fountain, made for the General Exhibition in 1911, can be found today at the Borgo medievale in Turin.