Maschseequelle, pumping station in Hannover, Germany
Maschseequelle is a fountain with a brick pump and filter station that started operating in 1935 in the Südstadt-Bult district. The site includes landscaped meadows, ceramic heron sculptures by artist Ruth Meisner, and a bridge opened in 2019 that carries a name emphasizing peace and cooperation.
The site was designed and built in 1935 by architect Schlenstedt as a pumping station for the artificial Maschsee lake. After World War II, the city repositioned rebuilt heron sculptures at a garden show in 1951, following their theft in 1950.
The fountain takes its name from the old local term 'Masch', which referred to the marshland that once covered this area. The brick buildings and heron sculptures by ceramicist Ruth Meisner remain visible landmarks that reflect how the city valued craftsmanship and public art during the twentieth century.
The site sits along Karl-Thiele-Weg near the Maschsee and is easily reached on foot when walking the lake path. Best visits happen during daylight hours when the brick architecture and sculptures are clearly visible.
The heron sculptures by artist Ruth Meisner were stolen in 1950 but were not melted down like many other artworks from that era. The city had them remade for a 1951 garden show, preserving a rare example of how local public art survived and was restored.
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