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The Gefion fountain
The Gefion fountain (Danish: Gefionspring-vandet) is a large fountain on the harbour front in Copenhagen, Denmark. It features a large-scale group of animal figures being driven by the legenday Norse goddess, Gefyon.
It is the largest monument in Copenhagen and is used as a wishing well. The fountain was donated to the city of Copenhagen by the Carlsberg Foundation on the occasion of the brewery’s 50 year anniversary. It was originally supposed to be located in the main town square outside city hall, but it was decided instead to build it near the Øresund in its current location near Kastellet ("The Citadel").
It was designed by Danish artist Anders Bundgård, who sculpted the naturalistic figures 1897-99. The basins and decorations were completed in 1908. The fountain was first activated on July 14, 1908.
The fountain underwent extensive renovations starting in 1999. The fountain was out of commission for many years, and was re-inaugurated in September 2004.
The legend of Gefion
Gefjun ("giver"; also Gefion, Gefjon, Gefyon, Gefn) was, in Norse mythology, a seeress and goddess, a member of both the Vanir and the Æsir. All women who die virgin are sent to her hall, and thus she is characterised as a goddess of virtue, yet she was also a fertility goddess.
Moreover, "Gefn" is one of the alternate names of Freyja, the Norse goddess of procreation. It is entirely conceivable that Gefjun is merely an aspect of Freyja in the same way that Morrigan (in Irish mythology) has a multiplicity of aspects.
She was associated with the plow, virgins and good luck. Girls who died as virgins became her servants in the afterlife.
Her husband was King Skjöld, son of Óðinn (Odin). Many legendary Danish kings claimed to be descended from her.
This legend is commemorated by the bronze Gefjun fountain in Copenhagen, Denmark sculpted by Anders Bundgaard in 1908.
The goddess' name is shared with a Norse term meaning "marriage", represented by the English language as "give", meaning "wife" (see dowry), and found in the form of a Rune.
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