Brunnen der Lebensfreude, Fountain on Universitätsplatz in Rostock, Germany
The Brunnen der Lebensfreude is a circular bronze sculpture with 16 figures depicting people and animals arranged in a basin about 20 meters across. Water sprays from various points, creating continuous movement between the figures.
Sculptors Jo Jastram and Reinhard Dietrich made the fountain, inaugurated on 27 June 1980 on Universitätsplatz in Rostock's old town. Its 16 nude life-sized figures, including two sporting couples and a four-person family pyramid, drew controversy and the nickname "Porno-Brunnen".
Locals call it the "Porno-Brunnen" because all 16 life-sized figures are nude, a nickname that stuck after the 1980 unveiling. The two couples are shown at sport, while a four-person family forms a pyramid at the centre, with swans, dogs and wild boars around the rim.
The fountain stands on Universitätsplatz in Rostock's old town, within the Hanseatic city centre. The basin is about 20 metres across and the figures are life-sized, so the whole ensemble can be walked around and viewed from every side. Water emerges from the ground at several points and jets are aimed at the central group.
At the center of the fountain, four figures form a pyramid representing a family, while swans, dogs, and wild boars surround the scene. This arrangement creates an unexpected interplay between humanity and nature in the heart of the city.
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