The whashhouses and fountains of Asciano are one of the most evocative corners of the historic center, where history, architecture, and popular memory come together. Inaugurated on April 17, 1871, they were built to provide a public and hygienic place for washing clothes at a time when many homes, especially in the poorer neighborhoods, lacked running water.

The project, designed by engineer Lorenzo Pini, involved the demolition of a section of the medieval walls and the historic Municipal Gate (also known as Copra gate), which once served as the southern entrance to the village. The location was not chosen at random: the building stands near two ancient water channels (known as gore), which once powered two municipal mills already active in the 14th century.

For centuries, this site was home to the so-called molendinum de supra and molendinum de subtus, two water mills mentioned in records as early as 1325. This hydraulic system was later used to supply the new washhouse fountains, ensuring a continuous flow of water and optimal conditions for daily use.

The whashhouses soon became a gathering place for the women of the village—a hub of social life, exchange, and storytelling. They remained in use until the 1950s, after which they were gradually decommissioned. The washhouse was restored in the 1930s and again between 1952 and 1958, before being fully recovered and enhanced in the 1980s as an exhibition and cultural space.

Today, the building retains all the charm of its original purpose and tells a story of water, labor, and community—a small gem of social architecture in the heart of the Crete Senesi.