Water Fountain, as an indispensable decoration of every city, it is not only a water fountain, but also a synonym for a city. Usually city square fountains are large marble fountain or garden bronze fountain, or a combination of stone and copper fountains.
Bern, Switzerland is surrounded by dozens of public fountains that, through their intricate and sometimes whimsical design, reveal aspects of the city’s heritage. You know, only ordinary children, bears in golden helmets, musicians in sports, soldiers with crossbows and heroines who save people are devoured.
Built in the 1500s, these Renaissance buildings range from the terrifying, inspiring or comical to Bern’s central landmark known as the “City of Fountains”. Here are the stories behind the 10 most interesting fountains in Bern.
It’s confusing, looming over Kornhausplatz, one of Bern’s busiest public squares. There, at the top of the fountain, stood a ghoul with his mouth open and biting the head of a naked child. In his arms he held several of the same small babies, which, apparently, he was also going to eat. There is no consensus on the supposed meaning of this opposite sculpture. The most popular theory is that this is an urban legend character designed to scare children into acting nice.
It’s confusing, looming over Kornhausplatz, one of Bern’s busiest public squares. There, at the top of the fountain, stood a ghoul with his mouth open and biting the head of a naked child. In his arms he held several of the same small babies, which, apparently, he was also going to eat. There is no consensus on the supposed meaning of this opposite sculpture. The most popular theory is that this is an urban legend character designed to scare children into acting nice.
The elegant woman pouring water from a pitcher into this fountain is one of the greatest heroines in the history of Bern. This is a portrait of Anna Seiler, a benevolent lady who helped establish the city’s first hospital in the 1300s. She did not live to see this dream come true because Thaler left a large sum of money in her will, which she says should be used to build medical facilities.
A bearded man in a gilded mantle and with a legal inscription in his hands carved a formidable figure on this fountain. He was Moses, the Jewish prophet and leader who led his people out of Egyptian slavery in the 13th century BC, and later, when he stood on Mount Sinai, God revealed the Ten Commandments to him. The statue, created by Nikolaus Sporrer of Konstanz, complements the magnificent Bern Cathedral.
Another biblical hero adorns the fountain in front of the Einstein House, which is now a museum and was formerly the apartment where Albert Einstein lived from 1903 to 1905, where his theory of relativity is said to have been inspired. The statue depicts Samson in Roman uniform with his hands open in the mouth of a roaring lion. Its purpose is not only to reflect the strength of Samson, but also the strength of the community of Bern.
Helmeted and sword-wielding, the heroic soldier crosses the cobbled square and gazes at the elegant Bernese town hall and the adjoining Church of Saints Peter and Paul. He holds the Bernese flag, a red and yellow pattern adorned with a black bear sticking out its tongue. It was Wiener, the title of a powerful military leader in medieval Switzerland. This particular statue was damaged during the French invasion in 1798 and moved several times before finding its permanent home here.
In a country famous for its clocks, few clocks are more famous than the majestic 54-metre-high Zytglogge that towers over central Bern and is the city’s top tourist attraction. In its shadow on the elegant Cramgrass boulevard is the Zahringerbrunnen, an unusual landmark depicting a ferocious black bear wearing an ornate gold helmet. Armed with two swords and a shield, he was ready to attack, and at his feet sat a small bear cub, nibbling grapes. The black bear has always been a symbol of Bern.
The entire Old Town of Bern is a network of stone streets dotted with charming limestone buildings, medieval arcades and splendid churches and is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Its main street is Kramgasse, a magnificent street adorned with Swiss and Bernese flags, with the Kreuzgassbrunnen in the middle. Unlike many other fountains in Bern, this one doesn’t have a strange backstory. It’s just a beautiful obelisk-like monument that still supplies passers-by with water.
Bern is home to the impressive Swiss Shooting Museum and has a long and legendary association with shooting. In the 1400s, when the Old Zurich and Burgundian Wars were wreaking havoc, the Bernese were particularly renowned for their skill with crossbows. There are several well-known shooting societies in the city where men go to hone their skills. The fountain pays homage to this story by depicting an armored soldier holding the flag of the Musketeers Society. At his feet, a bear cub is armed with the same gun.
Ryfflibrunnen also used this glorious history of marksmanship, showing a bearded soldier with a crossbow on his shoulder. Legend has it that the warrior known as Riffli was the greatest marksman of his time and it was he who shot Jordan III of Burghest at the Battle of Laupen in 1339. Following the general theme of these fountains, he is with a bear cub. The fountain is located on the busy Aarbergergasse street in the western part of the Old Town of Bern.
The Bernese Puppet Theatre, located in the old town of Bern, is an important tourist attraction where puppets, puppets, puppets and shadow puppets are staged from October to May. At the entrance stood the Goddess of Justice, blindfolded, with a sword in one hand and the scales of justice in the other. Below it are busts of the emperor and pope. Here stands a statue symbolizing the firm faith of the Bernese people in the rule of law.
In the eastern part of Bern’s Old Town, visitors can enjoy beautiful views of the Aare River, the opposite wooded hillside, and the adjoining impressive Untertorbrücke stone arch bridge. One of the most beautiful sights in one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, which is also home to Leiferbrunnen. This decorative fountain depicts a medieval messenger who played a key role in the exchange of notes between leaders in the 1500s. If caught by the enemy, the message will never be delivered and the plan may go wrong. Now it stands on Courier Square.
The bagpipes are a unique woodwind instrument with extensive links to Scotland, where they are the national instrument of Scotland and remain a regular part of major events. Less well known is that Switzerland also has deep ties to the bagpipe, known as the Schweizer Sackpfeife, which was popular for centuries until the 1700s. This fountain pays homage to this history. It is based on a man joyfully blowing a gilded bagpipe, and a goose stands next to him. This cheerful sculpture symbolizes Bern’s love of live music and frivolity.
Incidentally, Basel has an equally varied selection of fountains, as well as some that double as unofficial pools on very hot days (for those who don’t want to jump into the Rhine).
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Post time: Sep-25-2022
