Mountain spring water flows, as the River Cefalino, through the wash basins of the 16th century Lavatoio Medievale (medieval wash house) in Cefalu, Sicily, Italy, each equipped with a stone slope for scrubbing garments clean of stubborn dirt and stains. The wash house, accessed by steps descending from Via Vittorio Emanuele, has ancient Arab origins and was used by Cefalu’s washerwomen for centuries. According to local legend, the water originated from the constant tears of a mourning nymph full of remorse for accidentally causing the death of her unfaithful lover.
Cefalu, Sicily, Italy: mountain spring water from the River Cefalino flows through the wash basins of the Lavatoio Medievale (medieval wash house), each equipped with a stone slope for local washerwomen to scrub garments clean of stubborn dirt and stains. The Lavatoio, reached by a curved flight of steps descending from Via Vittorio Emanuele, replaced an earlier wash house demolished in 1514. The present structure mainly dates from the 16th century, although Moorish arches beside the steps recall an earlier, 205-year pre-Norman period when Cefalu was under Arab control. Cefalu washerwomen continued to clean clothes here well into the 20th century and the wash house was thoroughly restored in 1991 after finally falling into disuse. The steps and the wash basins are built of a mixture of basalt volcanic lava rock and lumachella or fire marble, dotted with tiny fossil shells. Water pours into the Lavatoio through 22 spouts, 15 of them lion heads, and flows out to the sea through pipes. According to Sicilian legend, the water originated from the ceaseless tears of a remorseful nymph mourning the accidental death of her unfaithful lover. In fact, the River Cefalino rises near the village of Gratteri in the Madonie mountains southwest of Cefalu. It was routed under the city streets in the 17th century. The cleanliness of the water was emphasised by Palermo-born historian, lawyer, royal archivist and poet Vincenzo Auria (1625-1710), whose words feature in a Latin inscription on a plaque dated 1655 at the top of the steps. It translates: “Here flows Cefalino, healthier than any other river, purer than silver, colder than snow.”
Size: 2832px × 4256px
Location: Cefalu, Sicily, Italy
Photo credit: © Terence Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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