Articolo disponibile anche in: Italian

Traveling through our countryside, you sometimes run into tabernacles, wash-tubs, chapels, ancient fountains: pieces of history most often ignored and left to their fate and decay.

Fortunately there are many people who seek out their origins and local history. They work hard to discover these relics and participate in their rebirth and preservation.

This time the merit goes to “Barberinese DOC” Bruno Rinaldi in Petrognano (a small town near Barberino Val d’Elsa).

Over a year ago the monumental water source dedicated to Santa Caterina da Siena, also known as the “Milk Source”, came to light.

History recounts that new mothers who had no milk, could begin their flow by drinking from the fountain.

Bruno Rinaldi found the source surrounded by brambles, oblivious of a history that had left it abandoned.

Now the source has been reborn with the help of the volunteers of the Archaeological Group of Barberino Val d’Elsa (Achu), thanks to the collaboration of  the owners of the plot of land (the Counts Venerosi Pesciolini) and the Union of Municipalities of Barberino and Tavarnelle.

Today, this a really magical place. It is accessible to all: and there are many people who still go there to get water to take home.

A walk up to the fountain has becomes something extraordinary to do.

How to reach it? It’s very easy: you arrive at the little village of Petrognano from Barberino Val d’Elsa in the direction of Certaldo.

Once you have passed the village, after circa 200 mt on the right there is a tabernacle and a little downhill road.

You take that  road and you arrive at the “Milk Source”.

It is here that  next April 29th, on the anniversary of Santa Caterina’s death, they will celebrate a church ceremony in her memory

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