Dinglingerbrunnen

Dinglingerbrunnen is a Baroque fountain near the New Gewandhaus in Dresden, with a basin supported by a double-tailed creature. The fountain displays elaborate decoration featuring dolphins, pilasters, and a double-opened shell crown containing a golden pearl.

The fountain was created after 1718 for court jeweler Dinglinger and originally stood in his courtyard near Dresden's Neumarkt square. Following destruction in the 1945 bombardments, sculptor Werner Hempel reconstructed the surviving pieces and reinstalled the fountain at the Gewandhaus in 1966.

The fountain is named after court jeweler Johann Melchior Dinglinger, whose family left a lasting mark on Dresden's artistic legacy. The decorative shells, dolphins, and Bacchus heads reflect the wealth and sophisticated taste that defined the city's golden age.

The fountain is located on the Gewandhaus Hotel grounds and can be viewed from outside, even though the hotel itself is not open to the public. The best time to photograph it is in early morning light or during overcast conditions, when the decorative details become more visible.

The fountain remained dry from 1945 until 2008, when pipe damage from the 2002 Elbe flood finally prevented water flow for decades. Its return to operation in May 2008 marked a remarkable comeback after more than six decades of silence.