At this point stood the east gate of the medieval city wall.
This gate, demolished in the first quarter of the 19th century, had assumed the name Porta Picta in the late 15th century, which is still preserved in the name of the present street. This name was given to the building because between the 15th and 16th centuries it was decorated with fresco paintings, entrusted to artists from Bergamo such as Simone da Averara and Bartolomeo Cabrini.
The fountain was built symmetrically to the large vault covering the gate.