Fontaine des Mers, Maritime fountain in Place de la Concorde, France

Fontaine des Mers is a cast-iron fountain on Place de la Concorde, painted dark green with gold accents. At its top, a ribbed dome sits above a shallow bowl; below, a wide circular basin is supported by a base ringed with reclining figures. Six colossal bronze statues, three metres tall, rest on a prow-shaped base around the lower tier, and thin jets arc from the upper bowl into the basin.

Completed in 1840 under King Louis-Philippe, the fountain emerged from Jacques Ignace Hittorff's vision to adorn Place de la Concorde with monumental water features. This project was part of a major redesign of the famous square during the 1800s.

The sculptures depict sea gods and nymphs gazing across the square, expressing France's deep connection to the ocean. Visitors notice how the figures tell stories of shipping and commerce that shaped the nation's identity.

The Fontaine des Mers stands on the north side of Place de la Concorde, facing the Seine and near the Hôtel de la Marine; the Fontaine des Fleuves mirrors it across the obelisk. Concorde metro station (lines 1, 8, 12) opens onto the square. The bronze figures are best seen in morning light from the Seine side.

Twelve different artists created the stone groups forming a continuous narrative about human activity at sea. This collaboration of artists with varying styles makes the fountain a rare example of collective artistic work on a public square.