Wittelsbacherbrunnen, ornamental fountain in Bayreuth, Bavaria, Germany

The Wittelsbacherbrunnen is an ornamental fountain on Opernstraße, directly opposite the Markgräfliches Opernhaus. Its basin covers about 100 square metres, and all natural-stone elements are made of solid Muschelkalk limestone. A four-part group of figures stands at the centre, containing the fountain mechanism.

The city decided in 1908 to build a fountain to mark Bayreuth's hundred-year connection to Bavaria since 1810. The foundation stone was laid in 1910, but delays with materials and design changes meant it was not finished until 1914.

The fountain stands on Opernstraße as a public gathering place that marks Bayreuth's long connection to the Wittelsbach family. Visitors can see how the city honored this relationship through a monument that remains part of daily life and local walks through the center.

The fountain sits in the city center on Opernstraße, directly across from the opera house and easy to find. The area has benches for resting and is best visited during daylight when the stone details are visible, with buses and parking nearby.

The sculptor Friedrich Lommel received only about 2,000 marks for his design and was barely mentioned in the local press at the inauguration. Because war was imminent, Prince Alfons attended instead of King Ludwig III, and the ceremony on 31 July 1914 was cut from four days to two, including a dance by the "higher daughters" and a royal shooting contest at the Saas shooting house.