Petrusbrunnen, Fountain in Altstadt-Nord, Cologne, Germany
The Petrusbrunnen is a neo-Gothic sandstone fountain on the Papal Terrace at Roncalliplatz, south of Cologne Cathedral in Altstadt-Nord. It rises about 750 cm and spans roughly 700 cm, crowned by a statue of the Apostle Peter holding keys. The base is carved with pinnacles and tracery typical of the style.
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.
The fountain was moved to its present spot on the Papal Terrace only in 2003, when it was also connected to a water supply for the first time. Until then it had stood without water since 1870, which is why Cologne residents called it 'Drügge Pitter', dry Peter.
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