Elephants Fountain, Historical monument in central Chambéry, France.
The Elephants Fountain is a 17.65-metre monument of Saint-Sulpice limestone in Chambéry, combining a fountain, a column and a statue. Four cast-iron elephants joined at the rump stand on an octagonal basin, each carrying a combat tower with a relief or inscription. Above them rises a column shaped like a palm trunk, crowned by a bronze statue of General Count de Boigne, 2.82 m tall and cast in Paris by Charles Crozatier.
The monument was built between 1835 and 1838 to honor General Count de Boigne, who participated in military campaigns in India. The elephants symbolize his military adventures in Asia and stand as a record of his connection to distant lands.
The plaza takes its name from the four elephants that dominate the water feature. Visitors immediately notice how these animals have become a focal point where locals gather and spend time.
The monument stands on the central plaza and is freely accessible to visitors year-round. The best time to visit is early morning or late afternoon, when the square is less crowded.
The four cast-iron elephants are joined at the rump, so the monument has no rear side: each animal shows only chest and head. The Grenoble sculptor Pierre-Victor Sappey was chosen in 1834 from 17 competing projects, partly because his design cost little. A local nickname, "les quatre sans cul", comes from this missing hindquarters.
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