The Oldest Hospital in the World
The Fountain in the Fate-Bene-Fratelli Hospital
Let me take you into the courtyard of a hospital, to show you a modern little fountain, created with very few resources, but one that is absolutely delightful.
The famous hospital, known to every Roman, is run by the Fate-bene-Fratelli ("Do Good Brothers"), which was rebuilt almost from scratch in 1934. The monklike Order was founded by a Portuguese saint (John of God). The hospital occupies most of the Tiberina Island and is certainly the oldest hospital in the world. There is no need to think this a rash or insular statement, for the first care institution sui generis on this island can be dated precisely to 292 B.C. That is the year when the Romans, worried by the lengthy duration of an outbreak of plague, followed the advice of the Sibylline Books and sent an embassy to Epidaurus. This Greek city was home to the celebrated temple of Asclepius, the god of medicine, with the mission of bringing back the healing serpent, the symbol of the god. In fact, the embassy took the serpent but, full of indignation, the creature wanted to board the ship unaided. When the ship had crossed the sea and sailed up the River Tiber to come alongside the Tiberina Island, the serpent leapt into the water and climbed up onto the gravelly bank, promptly making itself a nest. It was on that exact spot that a temple was then erected to Aesculapius, the Roman equivalent of Asclepius.
Although there are several long gaps, the existence of a hospital on this island can be traced all the way through the Middle Ages. Nonetheless, suffice it to say that running water -- the Aqua Felice -- was first brought to the Tiberina Island in December 1588.
The hospital and church of the Do Good for God Brothers were gifted an ounce of water, that is half an ounce free and for the love of God and the other half against the usual payment. Either because the friars were so very poor, or perhaps because they rightly pointed out to the authorities that this water was mainly for the use of the sick whom they piously assisted, on April 15, 1589 the City Authorities decided that "By the present decree the other half ounce is to be given to those same brothers free and for the love of God and it is ordered that the money be reimbursed to them."
Having gotten the water for nothing and with a refund of five months fees for the half ounce, the following year the good brothers at the hospital managed to take things still further: "For the love of God and for the sake of charity, let the Do Good Brothers be given a small donation and let them be granted twenty scudi in coin to bring the water to their Hospital for the use of the many poor sick and infirm they have there."
This, then, is the first time the Aqua Felice was taken to the ancient hospital; the source was the water returning from the Egyptian Lions Fountain spouts at the foot of the steps on the Capitoline Hill. Surely, even if there is no record of it, a little fountain must then have been built in the hospital garden, one that would -- by way of successive alterations -- eventually become the fountain with the Boot of Italy on the bottom of its pool (which may have happened after the country was unified in 1870). Then, as part of the radical reconstruction of the whole enormous building in 1934 by Cesare Bazzani, the leafy garden was transformed into today's modest and insignificant cloister and the fountain also took on a completely new appearance, becoming the harmonious and pleasing arrangement we see today.