Rolandbrunnen, Renaissance water well in Historic Market Square, Hildesheim, Germany
Rolandbrunnen is an octagonal sandstone fountain located in Hildesheim's historic market square featuring eight decorated slabs. Six panels display relief portraits of biblical heroes while two panels show coats of arms.
Built in 1548, this fountain was destroyed during World War II and fully reconstructed in 1986 based on historical designs.
The figure at the top represents a city watchman with lance and shield, not Roland as the name suggests. It served as a gathering point where residents encountered a symbol of civic authority in their daily routines.
The fountain sits at the center of the market square and serves as a key reference point for navigating Hildesheim's old town. You can easily spot it from different angles as you walk through the historic district.
The sandstone panels display eleven identified figures from the Old Testament dressed in medieval armor. A twelfth figure wears patrician clothing and has never been identified.
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