Pozzo di San Patrizio

St Patrick's Well was built in 1527 at the request of Pope Clement VII. The fountain was designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger. The purpose of the well was to supply water to the city in the event of a siege.

The well was named after St Patrick, as it was very similar to the cave St Patrick used to pray and meditate.

The well's ingenious design uses two opposing doors with a spiral staircase going down to the water, a total of 248 steps, but built in such a way that downward traffic with mules and donkeys never meets the upward traffic as the stairs go in opposite directions, quite ingenious.