Wilhelminafontein, Renaissance fountain at Brink square, Deventer, Netherlands
Wilhelminafontein is a Renaissance fountain on Brink square in Deventer with a round natural stone basin and a central column supporting a statue of the Deventer maiden. The base has a temple-like appearance and is surrounded by three sculptural sections with decorative elements.
The fountain was built in 1898 to celebrate Queen Wilhelmina's coronation and the arrival of piped water in Deventer. Architect Jan Mulock Houwer designed it and sculptor Wilhelmus van Poorten created the ornamental details.
The fountain is named after Queen Wilhelmina and displays three sculptural sections with bronze hermit crabs and putti blowing from water horns. Copper lion heads between Ionic columns spout water, shaping how the square looks and feels.
The monument was taken apart in 1960 and rebuilt in 1985 with careful attention to detail, with gold inscriptions explaining its history. Visitors can see the fountain on the busy Brink square and examine the carvings up close.
The fountain combines royal commemoration with celebration of modern water technology, a rare purpose for a 19th-century monument. This dual meaning makes it a record of the technological progress of its era.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
