If you’re planning on a walking tour in the capital city of Austria, remember to include in your itinerary some of the over 950 historic fountains that can be found all over the city. They can be found in parks and promenade squares and in the summer they are cool and refreshing stops (spring water flows from the fountains and yes, you can even drink and bathe in most of them). Here are some of the most notable ones:
The Donnerbrunnen in the Neuer Markt Square in Central Vienna has a long and interesting history. Built in 1739, this Baroque style fountain was originally intended to provide water supply to the city and was first called “Providentiabrunnen.” The sculptor, Georg Raphael Donner created allegories that adorn the fountain – in the center is Providentia which represents destiny and surrounding it are four figures that stand for the four rivers of Austria. The fountain gained international recognition when it was featured as one of the settings for the Hollywood movie “Before Sunrise.”
The Vermahlungsbrunnen or “The Marriage Fountain” was built in 1732 by Josef Emanuel von Erlach in the center of the Hoher Markt. It was commissioned by Emperor Leopold I to mark the safe and victorious return of his son, Josef I, from the Spanish Wars of Succession.
The Hochstrahlbrunnen on the other hand was built in 1873 to commemorate the Viennese aqueduct system which is another landmark in Vienna. What makes this fountain truly remarkable is that it was built to symbolize the calendar. There is a circle of little fountains that represent the 365 days of the year, 12 high fountains for the months, 30 fountains in the central island for the days in a month and 24 small fountains for the hours in a day. At night, the fountain is lit up and is a favorite sight for locals and tourists alike.
