Schützenbrunnen, Renaissance fountain in Marktgasse, Bern, Switzerland.
Schützenbrunnen is a Renaissance fountain made of stone and metal located on Marktgasse in Bern. The main figure depicts an armored marksman holding a banner, with a small bear seated between his legs aiming a rifle.
A wooden fountain was replaced by a stone one in 1527. The 1543 figure is attributed to Hans Gieng and depicts an armoured marksman holding the banner of the Shooters' Society, dissolved in 1799. The sword was repaired in 1558; in 1670 Abraham Dünz replaced the column and base, and in 1783/84 the basin and pedestal were renewed.
The figure holds the banner of the Society of Marksmen, dissolved in 1799; the Reismusketen shooting society has carried it since. The bear cub aims its rifle at the arcades, but at the fountain's original site it pointed at the entrance of the marksmen's former house.
The fountain is located near Zytglogge Clock Tower and is easy to spot in the old town center. It provides fresh drinking water and serves as a natural stopping point for resting or observing daily city activity.
At its original site, the bear cub aimed its rifle at the entrance of the former house of the marksmen's society. The fountain was moved about 50 metres and turned 180 degrees in 1939, and when it was moved again in April 2013 the figure was badly damaged and had to be restored.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,694 contributors worldwide.
