Fountain of Wishes, Contemporary fountain and sculpture in Osnabrück, Germany

The Fountain of Wishes is a three-tonne bronze figure of a urinating riot policeman standing in the Hase river by the Çanakkale Bridge in central Osnabrück. The figure wears segmented armour with vertical slats, shoulder pads and arm guards, resembling a Roman legionary; both hands grip a pole attached to a tall rectangular shield with a notched top edge and riveted strips, and a small pouch hangs at the left hip. Grey metal with blue-green oxidation streaks.

The bronze was made by Fernando Sánchez Castillo for COLOSSAL, an art project marking the 2000th anniversary of the Varus Battle in 2009; he contributed four works across the Osnabrück region. It first stood at the Conrad-Bäumer-Bridge. In late 2011 the Herrenteichslaischaft and the fashion house L+T Lengermann und Trieschmann bought it for 45,000 euros, and on 29 April 2012 a crane moved the three-tonne figure to the Çanakkale-Bridge, lowering the Hase weir to place it.

The nickname "Osnabrück's Manneken Pis" links the figure to Brussels' peeing boy, and its segmented protective gear makes it resemble a Roman legionary. A sign on the bridge railing states that every person is responsible for their own actions; beneath it a red mushroom-shaped button releases a water jet from the figure toward the button. The button is switched off in winter.

The figure stands in the Hase at the Çanakkale Bridge in the city centre, opposite the Haarmannsbrunnen on Schillerstraße. A red mushroom button under the sign on the bridge railing triggers the water jet; the function is switched off in winter.

A red mushroom-shaped button on the bridge railing triggers a water jet from the figure toward the button; the artist added it to tempt the viewer's play instinct and convey his message. The function is switched off in winter.