Ipoustéguy Fountain, Fountain in Lyon, France
The Fontaine d'Ipoustéguy is a fountain on Place Louis Pradel in central Lyon, built around a large round bronze disk representing the sun, set in an elliptical basin. Thirty-five water jets converge toward the disk from around the basin, giving the whole structure a sense of movement.
The fountain was completed in 1982, as part of the development of Place Louis Pradel, which was laid out between 1974 and 1982. The square took its name in 1977, honoring Louis Pradel, a former mayor of Lyon.
The Fontaine d'Ipoustéguy stands on Place Louis Pradel alongside bronze sculptures, including one of Louise Labé, a 16th-century Lyon poet also known as la Belle Cordière. Her figure shows her with a bare neck and flowing drapery, referencing the themes of love that run through her poetry.
The fountain is on Place Louis Pradel in central Lyon and is easy to reach on foot from the surrounding streets and the nearby Saône riverbank. It can be visited at any time of day, though the jets are lit in the evening, which gives a different feel to the spot.
A verse by Lyon poet Louise Labé is engraved on the bronze disk, making the fountain also a tribute to her. A bronze statue of her, standing about 11 feet (3.50 m) tall, is placed on the same square, which is rare for a woman from 16th-century France.
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