Postmichelbrunnen Esslingen, Cultural heritage water well in Fischbrunnenplatz, Esslingen, Germany.
The Postmichelbrunnen is a fountain at Fischbrunnenplatz featuring a bronze statue of a post rider on horseback and surrounding stone reliefs. The sculptural elements display scenes and figures rendered in careful detail, creating a layered narrative carved into the monument's surface.
The fountain was installed in 1916 and initially sparked disagreement among residents regarding how the horse was positioned. Its creation marked a significant moment in shaping the city's public spaces and visual character during the early 20th century.
The fountain tells the story of post rider Michel Banhard, a local figure whose life unfolds in the stone reliefs surrounding the monument. The narrative draws from a prose tale from the 1800s that remains part of the city's local memory.
The fountain sits at Fischbrunnenplatz in the heart of the old town and works well as a reference point when walking through the historic district. You can view the monument easily from nearby streets and get a complete sense of its sculptural details from ground level.
The reliefs tell an unusual tale: a post rider executed for murder supposedly continued his search for justice as a ghost. This local legend adds a darker and more unusual layer to what might first appear as an ordinary monument.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
