Vater Rhein und seine Töchter, Bronze fountain at Ständehaus, Düsseldorf, Germany
Vater Rhein und seine Töchter is a bronze fountain in front of the Ständehaus in Düsseldorf, where a central male figure represents Father Rhine surrounded by four female figures symbolizing tributary rivers. The sculptures rest on a granite basin and display the craftsmanship of neoclassical art.
The monument was unveiled on March 7, 1897, after it was originally created as a plaster sculpture for Emperor Wilhelm I and Empress Augusta in 1884. Its transformation from an imperial gift to a public fountain shows the city's cultural shift in the late 1800s.
The bronze sculpture draws on Rhine mythology, with the central figure wearing a crown and holding a trident similar to Neptune's. This connection to ancient gods makes the fountain a place where local river legends appear as art.
The fountain stands in front of the K21 Art Collection North Rhine-Westphalia and is fully wheelchair accessible. Visitors can view the monument from all sides with plenty of space to linger in the surrounding plaza.
At the base, a dragon guards the Rhine gold, represented by an imperial crown and scepter. This reference to the Nibelung legend connects the fountain to one of the region's most famous stories and adds a hidden link to Germanic mythology.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
