Fontaine de la Justice, Renaissance fountain in Place de la Palud, Switzerland.
The Fontaine de la Justice is a Renaissance fountain in Place de la Palud featuring a twelve-sided marble basin with a central column. A blindfolded female statue holding a sword and scales crowns the column as a symbol of justice.
The fountain was created between 1584 and 1585 by Laurent Perroud and his son Jacques as one of Lausanne's major Renaissance works. The original components are now preserved in the city's Historical Museum.
The statue portrays Justice as a walking woman, with four figures at her feet representing the Pope, Emperor, Grand Turk, and Magistrate. This arrangement shows how justice stands above all worldly powers.
The fountain sits in central Lausanne on Place de la Palud and is easily reached on foot from nearby areas. Bus lines and metro station Riponne-Maurice Béjart provide good access if arriving from other parts of the city.
Between 2009 and 2017, thieves repeatedly stole the sword and scales from the statue, creating an unusual challenge for those caring for the monument. The city responded by installing tracking devices in these symbolic objects to prevent future theft.
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