Petrusbrunnen, Fountain in Altstadt-Nord, Cologne, Germany
The Petrusbrunnen is a neo-Gothic sandstone fountain standing on the so-called Papal Terrace on Roncalliplatz, on the south side of Cologne Cathedral in the Altstadt-Nord district. It stands about 25 feet (750 cm) tall and roughly 23 feet (700 cm) wide, topped by a statue of the Apostle Peter.
The fountain was created in 1870 as a gift from Queen Augusta of Prussia, designed by cathedral architect Richard Voigtel and sculptor Peter Fuchs. It originally had no water supply, which earned it the local nickname 'Drügge Pitter', meaning 'dry Peter'.
The figure on top shows Saint Peter holding keys, referencing his role as the patron saint of Cologne Cathedral. Visitors often pause here to look at the statue before or after entering the cathedral nearby.
The fountain stands directly on Roncalliplatz on the south side of the cathedral and is easy to reach on foot by walking around the building. It is freely accessible at any time and can be seen without any restrictions from the outside.
Even after being finally connected to a water supply in 2003, the fountain kept its old nickname 'Drügge Pitter', meaning 'dry Peter'. The name stuck for so long that it became part of how people in Cologne refer to it, even now that water flows.
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