Wasseruhrbrunnen - Trier, Germany
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dreamhummie
N 49° 45.229 E 006° 38.657
32U E 330319 N 5513922
Wasseruhrbrunnen located at Willy-Brandt-Platz in Trier, Germany.
Waymark Code: WM17D2R
Location: Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
Date Posted: 01/29/2023
Views: 2
"Fountain as a sundial
The fountain with the sun column at the Electoral Palace in Trier is one of the largest-volume works by Karl-Jakob Schwalbach. It was donated to the city of Trier by the state of Rhineland-Palatinate for the 2000th anniversary in 1985 and stands on the site of the former Niederschloss, which was destroyed by bombs in World War II.
When the competition was announced, the client, the State Building Authority of Trier, had specific ideas regarding the structural and artistic implementation of the redesign of the square.
The fountain was to have the most effective relationship possible to the neighboring urban spaces, especially Konstantinplatz. In addition, it should have a relationship to the historical buildings on the square and to the history of Trier, the oldest city in Germany. Other requirements were the sculptural effect of the fountain and the visually impressive presentation of water as a living element.
Karl-Jakob Schwalbach fully met the requirements and expectations of the client. The orientation of the fountain in a north-south direction corresponds with the longitudinal axis of the basilica and is repeated in the transverse axis of the basilica apse. The two-part fountain floor is reminiscent of layers of earth and rock and thus represents a historical reference to the amphitheater in Trier. The animal figures on the column stumps of the fountain's rim, on the other hand, symbolize five historical epochs of Trier up to the present day: the horse recalls the Treverians, an equestrian people: the eagle with lictor bundle recalls the Roman era: the lamb with crook and sword recalls the spiritual and secular power of the medieval prince-bishops: the dog recalls the Prussian era and the dove stands as a sign of peace for the present day.
Through the different local origins of the stones - Bavarian Forest granite for the 12-meter-diameter fountain, the 12.60-meter-high column made of pink Giant Mountains granite (Czech Republic), the granite paving from Portugal and the square ornamentation made of red Vosges granite slabs (France) - the artist has, almost unintentionally, created a European square. Based on a suggestion of the sculptor, a drinking water fountain was added to the fountain. On the outlet pipe the word drinking water was cast in eight languages. On the bronze plate located under the drinking water tap are the names of famous sculptors and builders from 2000 years of Trier's history. [2]
Information board on site:
This fountain is the gift of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate to Germany's oldest city. The two thousand year old Trier Anno Domini MCMLXXXIV.
Column shadows and water qualler show time and remind us of transience and return.
The bronze animals represent important historical epochs of Trier.
The horse symbolizes the Celtic, the eagle the Roman, the lamb the electoral, the wind chime the Prussian and the dove the present time.
The work was created by Karl Jakob Schwalbach."
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