Stuhlmann fountain
| Stuhlmann fountain | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Altona, Hamburg, Germany |
| Dedicated | June 1, 1900 |
| Restored | 1978 |
| Sculptor | Paul Türpe |
The Stuhlmann fountain or Stuhlmannbrunnen is a fountain situated on the Platz der Republik or Square of the Republic in the Altona district of Hamburg, Germany. The sculpture of two centaurs struggling with each other over a big fish caught in a net symbolizes the long rivalry between Altona and Hamburg with regard to which was the biggest fish harbor in Germany. Two tritons and a nymph are seen spitting water in the direction of the centaurs. Next to the Tritons are some lizards. The main stream of water is spat out by the fighting tall fish.
The fountain, by far the biggest in Hamburg, has a very complicated internal support structure of iron bars which carries the main figures. Their copper shell is only 2 mm thick. This led to massive corrosion and instability, and was renovated thoroughly for its hundredth anniversary. The town did not want to finance the project and sought sponsors. In exemplary cooperation between the Hamburg Monument Foundation together with private sponsors, in particular the firm Aurubis AG, it proved possible to salvage the fountain and restore it to Altona.[1] Europe's biggest copper smelting plant repaired the shell on their own grounds, and Hamburg Waterworks installed the pumps and pipes at the new site.[2]
Origin
The founder of the Altonaer Gas- und Wasseranstalt AG or Altona Gas and Waterworks, Günther Ludwig Stuhlmann (1797-1872), gave his home town a grant of 18,000 marks, equivalent to about €117,000 today, to build a monumental public fountain. 25 years after Stuhlmann's death, the town held a contest which was won by the sculptor Paul Türpe from Berlin. Based on his design, the fountain was built by Otto Bommer, a coppersmith in Berlin.[3] In 1900 the 7.5-m tall sculpture, embedded in a granite basin measuring 20x10 m, was inaugurated on the Kaiserplatz or Emperor's Place between the town hall and the new railway station.
Status
Hamburg is famous for radically altering its cityscape and getting rid of old building stock with little or no regard for historical and architectural contexts, which is why the fountain stands presently in its third location. When the big railway station was replaced with a "faceless" warehouse, the fountain was moved in 1979 to a depression in front of the new faceless railway station where its monumental shape and function as the divider of the former Kaiserplatz lost all meaning.[2] Since 2000, it has been renovated and once again stands between Altona City Hall and Altona Railway Station. The place itself has lost its former size and splendor. Now the Stuhlmann fountain is hidden in a little park outside the place. However, the dramatic gesture of the figures is still quite noticeable and attracts tourists. Since 2005, the fountain has been illuminated at night, as Stuhlmann requested in his will.
References
- ↑ "Stuhlmann Fountain". Stiftung Denkmalpflege Hamburg. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Hynynen, A. & Juuti, P. (2012). Water Fountains in the Worldscape. International Water History Association and KehräMedia Inc. ISBN 978-951-98151-8-3.
- ↑ "The Past and Present of the Stuhlmannbrunnen". World Tourism Cities Federation. Retrieved March 20, 2023.