Fountain The Kissing Students, Bronze sculpture and fountain in Raekoja Square, Tartu, Estonia
The Kissing Students is a bronze sculpture depicting two students kissing under an umbrella, positioned in the center of Raekoja Square. Tiles surrounding the circular fountain display the names of sixteen sister cities, arranged according to their geographical direction from Tartu.
Created in 1998 by artists Mati Karmin and Tiit Trummal, the fountain marks a location where students had naturally gathered for decades. The artwork emerged during a period when the university strengthened its role as the center of urban life.
The fountain represents the bond between student life and romance, serving as a central gathering spot for young people in this university city. Couples often meet here and use it as a backdrop for photographs.
The fountain is located on Raekoja Square in central Tartu, easily reachable on foot from the university and main shopping areas. The area is flat and well-paved, making access comfortable and the square accessible year-round.
The artwork originated from a sculptor's observation of his nephew kissing a girl in the rain, inspiring him to transform this spontaneous moment into public art. This everyday inspiration makes the work more relatable than many other public installations, capturing genuine human emotion.
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