Sorgente del Gabriele

Useful Information

Location:	Stradella Riserva Reale, 8, 90136 Palermo PA. (38.10346, 13.31132)
Open:	On certain open days during the year. [2024]
Fee:	free. [2024]
Classification:	Karst Spring
Light:	n/a
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:	Pietro Todaro (2003): Guida di Palermo Sotterranea, L'Epos (1 gennaio 2003), 172 pagine, ISBN-10: 8883021649, ISBN-13: 978-8883021640. academia.edu
Address:	Sorgente del Gabriele, Stradella Riserva Reale, 8, 90136 Palermo PA, Tel: +39-800-915-333. Società del Servizio Idrico Integrato, Via Volturno, 2, 90138 Palermo, Tel: +39-091-279111. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1700s	spring mentioned in the notebooks of the Baron di Villabianca, under the name Al Garbal (irrigating cave).
1722	depicted in an oil painting.
1771	walls around the springs built.

Description

Sorgente del Gabriele (Source of Gabriel) is a karst spring with absolutely clear water, which is used for the water supply of the city Palermo. It is located at the western outskirts of the city at the foot of a karstified hill. The spring is part of the drinking water system and is thus not a spring any more. Actually it is a door at the hillside, and after entering a staircase leads down to a huge artificial chamber, which was built to collect the water of the spring. No rain water or animals can pollute the spring water, the whole spring is surrounded by ancient walls, covered by a modern concrete roof. The walls were first built in 1771, as the locals used the spring to wash their clothes and thus polluted the water. But the spring has been actually used as drinking water for Palermo since Roman times. The water of the spring is about 30 cm deep and flows directly into an underground channel which leads to the modern water treatment plant below, which continually analyzes the water quality and can sanitize it if necessary.

There are four springs, very close together, called Cuba, Gabriele, Campofranco, and Nixio. That's the reason why the site is also called Le Sorgenti del Gabriele in plural. They were first mentioned in the early 1700s in the notebooks of Francesco Maria Emanuele Gaetani, the marchese di Villabianca, under the name Al Garbal (irrigating cave, sieve). Later Garbal became Gabriele. In 1722, it was depicted in an oil painting which is in the archives of the Municipality of Palermo. The water was channeled and used for irrigation, as drinking water in the city, and even to power some mills.

Despite being a part of the municipal water supply company, there are guided tours offered at certain dates. These are events like the Il Genio di Palermo festival in April, the La Via Dei Tesori or Palermo apre le Porte (Open Doors Day of Palermo). It's a bit tricky to find them, best is to ask at the local tourist bureau. The people meet in front of the plant, walk up about 500 m to the entrance of the spring, are equipped with helmets and then are guided to the spring. The visit is short, only about 15 minutes at the spring, but the site is quite impressive. The tours are offered only in Italian, but it's likely that the guide is able to give some explanations in English too.