Fountain of Youth

The Fountain of Youth, a legendary spring said to restore youth to those who drink or bathe in its waters, has captured human imagination for millennia. This mythical fountain appears in diverse sources across history: in Herodotus's writings from the 5th century BC, the Alexander Romance of the 3rd century AD, and tales of Prester John during the Crusades.

During the Age of Exploration in the early 16th century, Caribbean peoples spoke of similar restorative waters in the mythical land of Bimini. These legends inspired countless explorers to search for magical waters—whether spring, river, or other source—that could reverse aging and cure illness.

The legend gained particular fame through its connection to Juan Ponce de León, Puerto Rico's first governor, who reportedly searched for the Fountain while exploring Florida in 1513. According to stories, Native Americans had told him the fountain lay in Bimini.