Mossy Fountain, Fountain in Aix-en-Provence, France
The Fontaine Moussue is a 17th-century fountain located on the Cours Mirabeau in the center of Aix-en-Provence. What is visible today is mainly a large, misshapen block of limestone covered entirely in moss and water plants, making it nearly impossible to see what lies beneath.
The fountain was built in 1667 by the architect Jacques Fossé, at the same time as the Cours Mirabeau was laid out. Its original decoration, first a triton and then four children holding a basin, gradually disappeared under the limestone deposits left by the thermal water.
The Fontaine Moussue sits at the top of the Cours Mirabeau, where people often stop to look at it during their daily walk. Though it stands in the middle of an urban street, the moss and water plants covering it make it feel like a piece of nature that has settled into the city.
The fountain is located at the top of the Cours Mirabeau and is easy to reach on foot. The water is not drinkable, as it comes from thermal springs.
Beneath the moss, a 17th-century sculpture and basin are said to still be hidden, entirely concealed by the limestone deposits of the thermal water. Botanists have identified three types of moss on its surface, including filamentous algae and diatoms.
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