Idol's Fountain

Fountain of the Idol (Fonte do Ídolo)
Fountain (Fonte)
The fountain of the Idol, showing the two figures representing Lusitanian gods
Official name: Tanque do Quintal do Ídolo/Fonte do Ídolo
Named for: pejorative Christian reference to Lusitanian gods
Country	Portugal
Region	Norte Region, Portugal
Sub-region	Cávado Subregion
District	Braga
Municipality	Braga
Location	São José de São Lázaro
- elevation	175 m (574 ft)
- coordinates	41°32′54.97″N 8°25′19.03″W / 41.5486028°N 8.4219528°W / 41.5486028; -8.4219528Coordinates: 41°32′54.97″N 8°25′19.03″W / 41.5486028°N 8.4219528°W / 41.5486028; -8.4219528
Length	14.62 m (48 ft), Southwest-Northeast
Width	9.68 m (32 ft), Northwest-Southeast
Architects	Célico Fronto
Style	Roman
Material	Granite
Discovered	c. 1594
- Constructed	1st Century A.D.
Owner	Portuguese Republic
For public	Public
Visitation	Closed Mondays
Easiest access	Rua do Raio, 390
Management	Instituto Gestão do Patrimonio Arquitectónico e Arqueológico
Tuesday to Friday	9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Weekends/Holidays	11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Status	National Monument
Listing	Decree 16 June 1910; DG 136, 23 June 1910; ZEP, DG 105, 5 May 1970

The Fountain of the Idol (Portuguese: Fonte do Ídolo) is a Roman fountain located in the civil parish of São José de São Lázaro, in the municipality of Braga, northern Portugal. Located in the former territory of the Callaici Bracari, the granite rock fountain/spring has Latin inscriptions, dedicated to the Gallaecian and Lusitanian gods Tongoenabiagus and Nabia (built during era of Roman Emperor Augustus).

The construction of the fountain probably began in the 1st century, associated with a water cult, dedicated to the Lusitanian divinty Tongoenbiagus, and ordered constructed by Celicus Fronto.

First identified by Georg Braun in his map of Braga in 1594, the document indicated the location of the spring (marked by a channel of water).

By 1695, the land on which the fountain is located was owned by Father Santos Rodrigues, vicar of São João de Castelões, in Guimarães. On his death, his property passed to his niece, D. Angélica de Barros, who later bequeathed it to her brother-in-law Vicente Gomes do Couto.

In the 18th century, the accountant D. Jerónimo Contador de Argote, noted in his records: "behind the church of São João Marcos is a garden, that is called "Idol", in which is located a deep spring, which has a rock, which appears to be living rock, with a figure in long robes, that is five palms [in size]: it looks like [the figure] has a long bear, and part of his body is missing; his right hand is broken and on the left the form of a envolotório, and above the head there are letters..." Jerónimo recounts with this detail description, a design of the fountain of the Idol that was first created by the Bishop of Urianópolis, Alves de Figueire.