Schützenbrunnen, Renaissance fountain in Marktgasse, Bern, Switzerland.
Description
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.
History
Hans Gieng created this stone fountain in 1543, replacing an earlier wooden structure that had served the site. This rebuilding marked when Bern's Marksmen's Association established its prominent location in the city center.
Culture
The fountain shows how marksmen traditions shaped Bern's civic identity through its detailed carvings and symbols. Walking past it today, you notice how people still gather here, keeping the space alive as a social hub.
Practical
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.
Did you know?
The fountain design unusually combines human authority with local animal symbols in a bold way. The image of an armored figure with a bear aiming a rifle between his legs strikes visitors as peculiar, yet it perfectly captures how Bern merged its civic traditions with natural emblems.
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