Järntorget, Public square in Gothenburg, Sweden

Järntorget is an open public square west of Haga in Gothenburg, Sweden, crossed by tram lines and surrounded by shops and offices. Its center is marked by a wide granite fountain with five bronze female figures seated around the rim.

A set of weighing scales stood on this spot in the eighteenth century to measure iron bars before they were shipped abroad. The scales were later removed, and in 1927 the fountain with the five continents was placed here as a reminder of that trade.

Small badges or stamps from old merchant houses are carved into the stone base of the fountain. Passersby often stop to look at these marks, which recall the iron traders who once sent goods from the nearby harbor.

The square is easy to reach by tram or bus, as many lines stop right at its edges. Walking around it works best on foot, since the surrounding streets lead directly to Haga and the riverfront.

Students sometimes pour soap into the fountain water, turning the basin into a pile of foam around the bronze figures. The same five sculptures have been moved twice without changing their pose or their meaning.