Fontaine du Château d'eau, Bronze fountain in 12th arrondissement, France.
The Fontaine du Château d'eau is a multi-tiered fountain with eight bronze lions positioned around a circular basin, combining stone and bronze elements across three distinct levels. Water flows from the lions down through the stacked basins, creating movement and sound at ground level.
Gabriel Davioud designed this fountain in 1869 to replace an earlier structure, though construction faced delays from the 1870 war and the Paris Commune. The entire monument was moved from Place de la République to its current location during the urban changes of the 1880s.
The sculptures by Henri Alfred Jacquemart and Louis Villeminot shape how water flows through the basin. Visitors often notice the interplay between the spouting lions and the carved female faces that frame the lower level.
The fountain sits on Place Félix-Éboué, serving as a central gathering point with easy access to nearby shops, cafes, and public transit stops. The plaza has open space around the structure, making it comfortable to approach and walk around the monument.
The entire structure originally stood on Place de la République before being relocated to this location during Paris's late 19th-century urban overhaul. Moving such a large bronze and stone monument required careful dismantling and reassembly of its many parts.
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