Morozini Fountain
The fountain of Morozini (known as Lions) is one of the nicest Venetian monuments of Candia (current Heraklion). The fountain was watered by the spring of Karidaki and the watered traveled about 15km in a gigantic aqueduct.
The fountain takes its name after the Capitan Generale Francesco Morozini. During his rule, the aqueduct was constructed to water the thursty town of Candia. Till then, most water came from wells and rain-storage tanks. The aqueduct was inaugurated on April 25th, 1628, i.e. on the feast day o Saint Mark, the protector of Venice.
The tank of the fountain has an octalobe (eight lobes) shape so as to enable about 40 people to getting water at the same time. It was decorated with relief scenes from the Greek mythology, particularly marine figures such as newts and dolphins, and several coats of arms of the Venetians. Above the tank there are four lions, from the mouths of which the water flows. The top of the fountain was dominated by a big statue of Neptune, which collapsed, probably by an earthquake or by the Ottomans who generally destroyed the statues due to being offensive to their religion.
In 1847 the Ottomans changed the appearance of the fountain by adding marble columns and an inscription that read "Fountain of Abdul Medjit". Also they pierced the lobes and placed taps, destroying the reliefs.
