Augustinbrunnen, Water well at Augustinplatz, Neubau district, Vienna, Austria
Augustinbrunnen is a fountain on Augustinplatz in Vienna's Neubau district, with a light grey stone basin on a stepped base. A square pillar rises in the centre, topped by a sandstone figure of a man in a long coat and broad-brimmed hat playing a bagpipe. Below a panel with faint lettering, a carved face surrounded by relief sculpture spouts water into the basin.
The original bronze figure was created in 1908 but melted during World War II. Josef Humplik carved the current sandstone statue in 1952 to replace it.
The fountain commemorates Marx Augustin, a street musician whose legend of survival and resilience became part of Vienna's popular memory. His story connects to the district's character as a place where ordinary people and their traditions are valued.
Parts of the fountain and the statue were removed in March 2022 for the U2/U5 subway junction works and stored at Naschmarkt. The statue is to be restored and reinstalled with the fountain on Augustinplatz around 2027/28. Until then, visitors to the square in Neubau will not find the fountain in place.
Water outlets on three sides of the pedestal feature decorative grapevine patterns that reference Vienna's historical wine production. This detail ties the musician's memorial to the district's agricultural and economic past.
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