Goujon fountain of the innocent. Fountain of the Innocents in Paris

The oldest fountain in Paris. Located on Joashen du Belle Square, it saw the light in the 16th century. He appeared not just like that, but in honor of significant event- The coronation of Henry II. Initially, the creation was called the Fountain of the Nymphs, since three of its sides were decorated with images of nymphs and tritons. The fourth side was not decorated in any way, as it adjoined the cemetery.

It was the Cemetery of the Innocents, famous for admirers of the history of France. In honor of him, the fountain was later renamed. The cemetery itself was closed over time, and the work of art we are describing was transferred to the square next door. The fourth side of the fountain was built in the same style as the other three, so nothing hurts the eye. But the journeys of our fountain did not end there, and under Napoleon III, he made another, this time the last, voyage.

This movement is explained by the global reconstruction of Paris. Pay attention to this fact, which characterizes the French very revealingly - these people always try to preserve the heritage of their ancestors at any cost. The ancestors, when they erected this creation, adhered to the trend of mannerism, fashionable for the 16th century. According to him, grace and harmony should prevail in things and images. The addition of angels is also quite in the spirit of that time. And the shape of the building copies the sanctuary in honor of the nymphs - the nymphaeum.

2. Fountain Saint-Sulpice

It is located on the square of the same name opposite the church bearing the name of St. Sulpicius. This fountain is considered one of the most beautiful not only in France, but throughout the world. However, it was not created for the sake of beauty, but for a rather prosaic reason - Louis-Philippe considered that the Parisians did not have enough water. But where without beauty? If you build something outstanding! It is for this reason that Louis-Philippe entrusted this task to Louis Visconti, a very famous and revered architect. Working with Visconti was considered a great honor and fortune.

The construction of this work of art lasted for five whole years. And it was worth it - the structure reaching 12 meters in height is truly amazing. The fountain is made entirely of stone and consists of three octagonal separate pools located on various levels. At the base, in special niches, there are figures of French bishops. Their eyes are directed to each of the cardinal directions, due to which the fountain is sometimes called so - “Fountain of the four cardinal points”, “four bishops”. The second level is decorated with lions grinning in a roar, guarding the coat of arms of the city. The third level is gracefully marked by antique vases. All this splendor is crowned with a dome with a sharp spire. Believe it or not, contemporaries once criticized such beauty, finding fault with literally everything.

3. Fountain of four seasons

Edme Bouchardon was apparently so pleased with the royal order to sculpt something impressive that he completely forgot in a burst of creativity that the fountain should still be functional. Four jets - that's what happened in the end. Bouchardon was criticized mercilessly for such an oversight, but in fairness it is worth saying that from an aesthetic point of view there is something to admire. A three-tiered creation with figures of the four seasons instantly catches the eye. Today, the famous fountain on Grenelle Street is very popular with tourists, despite the fact that it is currently not working.

4. Medici Fountain

This fountain is an excellent example of the organic combination of sculpture and nature. Built in the 17th century by order of Catherine de Medici, this baroque fountain immerses the viewer in mythology. Approaching one side, you can see how the Centaur is preparing to attack Galatea, who does not suspect anything and basks in the hands of Acis. After taking a couple of steps to the side and looking to the other side, you will see Leda with a swan. Such a spectacle will not leave indifferent any visitor who decides to take a walk near the Luxembourg Palace.

5. Fountain of Molière

The Fountain of Moliere is rather not a full-fledged fountain, but a monumental monument to the great playwright. It stands on the corner of the streets of Molière and Richelieu, not far from the theater Comédie Francaise, in which the comedian played and wrote for, and opposite the house where he lived and died. Molière became ill right on stage, during the play "Imaginary Sick", in which he played Argan. From the Comédie-Française they brought him here, to the fortieth house on the Rue de Richelieu, where he died a few hours later.

The fountain is huge - six and a half meters wide and sixteen high, the size of a house, the end of which it closes. It was put up in 1844 at the insistence of Joseph Renier, a member of the Comédie Française actors' association, when a place in a small square was vacated. They were going to put a fountain with some kind of allegorical figure there, but Renier wrote a letter to the prefect of the Seine with a proposal to perpetuate the memory of Molière by raising funds through a national subscription. So they did, and it was the first time in France that people gave money for a monument to a civilian. The monument was designed by the architect Louis Visconti (among his other famous projects are the tomb of Napoleon and the Saint-Sulpice fountain). The engraver François Augustin Connoy made a medal dedicated to the opening of the fountain, a copy of which is kept in the Carnavalet Museum.

6. Fountain of the Observatory

The Fountain of the Observatory in the Marco Polo Garden is often called the fountain of the four cardinal points, or simply Karpo, after the sculptor. Four authors worked on the fountain, but it was Jean-Baptiste Carpeau who created the figures of naked women rotating the globe over their heads and symbolizing Europe, Asia, Africa and America.

The fountain, located on the tree-lined axis between the Luxembourg Palace and the Paris Observatory, was conceived in 1866 as part of the creation of the Luxembourg Avenue (now the Observatory Avenue). This highway was one of the largest projects of Baron Haussmann for the reconstruction of Paris. The project was led by Gabriel Davu, who was responsible for the design of fountains, squares, lanterns, gates and other architectural details, and he chose Jean-Baptiste Carpeau to implement the idea.

7. Fountain Saint-Michel

Fountain Saint-Michel - favorite place meetings of the Parisians. This monumental building is 15 meters wide and 26 meters high, the size of a six-story building, to the wall of which the fountain adjoins. Both the fountain, and the square on which it stands, and the boulevard, and the embankment, and the bridge nearby are named after the Archangel Michael, the conqueror of the devil.

The fountain is oversaturated with details: four Corinthian columns, above them are four sculptures - Prudence, Strength, Justice and Temperance, on the sides of the fountain - dragons spewing water, at the very top - the shield of Paris, which is held by Strength and Temperance. As well as bas-reliefs, floral ornaments, angels, lion muzzles, dragons. At the same time, the arch is yellow, the columns are pink, the rock under the devil is green-blue, the statues are bronze.

Gabriel Davu, who built the fountain in 1860, was criticized mercilessly. And for the polychrome, and for the fact that all the decorations and statues were created by different sculptors (Michael and the devil are the work of Francis-Joseph Dure), and for the fact that the fountain is on the side, and not in the middle of the square. The last one was not Davout's fault. The great reformer of Paris, Baron Haussmann, entrusted him to build the fountain, and the idea was precisely this - not only to decorate the large space formed after the appearance of the new boulevard, but to close the blank wall of the house overlooking the square. The architect of the Davyu prefecture was responsible not only for the fountain, but also for the facades of the buildings on the square.

8. Stravinsky Fountain

The visitor sees a huge (36 by 16.5 meters) low rectangular bowl filled with water. It contains sixteen strange figures. Black mechanisms, combining gears and wheels with hoses, repeat intricate movements cycle after cycle. Huge bright figures sticking out of the water from time to time release trickles of water. All of this is exciting and fun to watch.

The fountain was created in 1983 by Swiss architect Jean Tinguely and his wife, French artist Niki de Saint Phalle. Artists were invited to solve an unusual problem by Pierre Boulez, founder of the Center for Musical Research, located just under Stravinsky Square. Boulez believed that this small square was boring and needed to be revived. By this time the adept kinetic art» Tangley purchased world fame as the author of giant fantastic machines and self-destructive structures, and Boulez invited him to work on the appearance of the square. Tinguely set a condition: Niki de Saint Phalle should take part in the project.

9. Fountains on Place de la Concorde

The fountains on the Place de la Concorde were designed by the famous French architect Jacques-Ignatius Gittorf on behalf of the royal family. After the installation of the Luxor obelisk, it was necessary to transform the square and give it a finished look. And now, 4 years later, on May 1, 1840, magnificent monumental fountains appeared on both sides of the obelisk, which are small copies of Roman fountains from St. Peter's Square. One of them was called the Fountain of the Four Rivers, and the second - the Fountain of the Seas. These names and their architectural design are not accidental - the Ministry of the Navy of France is located on the Place de la Concorde.

The height of the fountains of the Place de la Concorde is small, only 9 meters, but they look majestic and luxurious. They are decorated with magnificent statues of mythical sea and river heroes and gilded columns located around the perimeter. Fountain bowls have unusual shape, a powerful cascade of water with wind-borne spray falls down from them.

The remarkably executed illumination deserves separate words, which in the dark time of the day skillfully illuminates the jets gushing from the fountains, making this spectacle amazing.

10 Wallace Fountains

This is a kind of symbol of Paris, fountains drinking water from cast iron, the idea of ​​installing which belongs to the creator of the famous Wallace collection - the English baronet Richard Wallace, who received an inheritance in 1870 and wished to make a gift to his beloved city, for which he ordered a sketch from the sculptor and paid for the casting (two for the Paris district) of the first fountains, which originally had also 2 iron glasses on a chain, which were removed in 1952 for hygienic reasons.

Wallace also came up with the idea of ​​drinking water fountains built into houses. Today, 108 Wallace fountains have survived in Paris (88 large, the rest differ in shape). beautiful shape the fountain contributed to its distribution in the cities of France and other countries of the world.

All of us at the word “fountain” imagine a certain average object, due, of course, to our knowledge and memories. This collection contains not very famous and most unusual examples of this kind of creative activity =)

This ranking contains the most, in my opinion, unusual fountains of the world, each of which is remarkable for something special. So, in 10th place is the Banpo Fountain Bridge in Korean Seoul. It reaches 1140 meters in length and is the longest fountain in the world.

The fountain consists of 380 sprayers, which “spit out” 190 tons of water every minute! And 220 colored lights gave the fountain the name Moonlight Rainbow Fountain - Moonlight Rainbow Fountain

The 9th line is occupied by the Fountain of Plenty in the Singapore city of Suntec. It may not sound funny, but this fountain was built according to Feng Shui))

It covers an area of ​​16,831 square meters and reaches a height of 30 meters.

This giant bronze fountain was created and weighs approximately 85 tons. It is located in the center of an underground restaurant, allowing diners to look up and see a huge copper ring above them.

Ranked 8th "Unusual Fountains"- Parisian Fountain of the Innocents. It got its name from the area of ​​the cemetery where it was built. The Fountain of the Innocents was designed by the outstanding French Renaissance figure Pierre Lescaut and embodied in stone by Jean Goujon.

The fountain was in the Cemetery of the Innocents until 1788, when it was decided to move it. It took its current location only in 1858.

The Fountain of the Innocents is a fine example of the Mannerist style common in 16th-century Western European art, whose adherents strove for their creations to be tall and thin. The fountain is decorated with chubby little boys with wings, a common decoration of the time.

7th place is occupied by the Fountain of King Fahd, located on the coast of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. Also called the Jeddah Fountain, due to its location, it is the tallest fountain in the world. The water stream shoots at a speed of 375 km / h and rushes to a height comparable to the Eiffel tower without an antenna - 312 meters!

The work of the fountain is complicated by the fact that it works on sea ​​water, A fresh water it is used only for cooling the electric motors of the pumps, as well as in the air conditioning system of the pumping station. The pumping station itself is located at a depth of 20 to 30 meters under water, and it took 7,000 tons of concrete to build it. The mass of water after rising to the highest point is almost 19 tons. The fountain is illuminated by 500 powerful spotlights located on five artificial islands.

Once a year, the fountain undergoes a preventive inspection for three weeks. The fountain also has a special list of regular inspections due to salt water and high pressure. The Jeddah Fountain dominates the city and was donated to it by the late King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz

6th place - Musical Fountain of the Great Temple wild goose in Chinese Xian. It claims to be the largest singing fountain in Asia, with the longest illumination.

The fountain has 22 types of splashes that can be used to create a huge seascape. During the “shooting” of water jets, a flame appears. The performance starts every day at 20:30, although it lasts only 20 minutes

The 5th line is occupied by the Trevi Fountain in Rome, which has already been described here, which is the largest Baroque fountain in the world. This, in my opinion, is one of the most beautiful fountains in the world, so I advise you to familiarize yourself with its history and, of course, beautiful photographs in the article Trevi Fountain - the king of Roman fountains

On the 4th line - Charybdis Fountain near Siem Hall in British Sunderland. This is the largest funnel fountain in the world, created by water artist William Pye. Thanks to Pai, you can now watch a real whirlpool without being afraid to be drawn into it)

Charybdis in Greek mythology they called the siren who stole a herd of oxen from Zeus himself, for which he did not fail to “feed” her with a pair of lightning bolts, thereby turning Charybdis into a giant whirlpool, which certainly draws ships into itself. The fountain is enclosed in a shell of transparent plastic, in the center every 15 minutes an air vortex rises, giving the water the shape of a funnel

So, "bronze" among unusual fountains won the Fountain of Struggle in Montreal, Canada. This is one of the creations of the famous Canadian artist Jean-Paul Riopelle.

A stream of water begins to erupt from the center of the fountain, then the surface of the water is covered with fog - the action takes place gradually until the entire fountain and the adjacent area are covered with dense fog.

When the fog settles, a ring of blazing fire surrounds the central part of the fountain, which does not subside for 7 minutes.

It looks very impressive - it seems that the fire burns directly on the surface of the water. The fire is surrounded bronze statues people and animals. The whole process lasts approximately 32 minutes. This most interesting kinetic installation can be observed every hour from seven to eleven in the evening. The fountain was created in 1969 and still looks very unusual.

2nd place - Fountain on Castle Square in Swansea in Wales. This unforgettable sight can be observed only once a year - on March 1, on the Day of St. David of Wales, the patron saint of Wales.

All other days the fountain is nothing special, but it was on March 1 that a tradition developed to tint the water red, which gives the people of Wales a reason to call the fountain Bloody)

So, the Mercury Fountain in Barcelona turned out to be the most unusual fountain. He got here not at all because of some sky-high beauty or scale, on the contrary - this is the smallest, quietest and most calm fountain of all that we got acquainted with today) The most unusual, in my opinion, is that instead of water mercury flows in it - nowhere else in the world is there a mercury fountain! It was created by Alexander Kalder for the government Spanish Republic in memory of the siege of the city of Almadena.

The fountain was shown for the first time in Paris in 1937 during International Exhibition. It was later moved to Barcelona. Then no one knew about the detrimental effects of mercury on humans and the fountain was open to everyone, but now you can look at it only because of special glass so that people are not poisoned by mercury vapor, and the most curious do not touch it

I gave a list to which there are only 10 unusual fountains, in fact there are a lot of them, I just considered these the most striking, famous and beautiful =)

In medieval Paris, there was an ancient cemetery of the Innocents, where beggars, unbaptized babies and unidentified bodies were buried. This circumstance gave the name of the square where it was located. Here, in 1549, a wall pavilion dedicated to the entry into Paris of the French King Henry II was erected.

Architectural appearance

The fountain in the form of a square arch structure was also decorated with images of water jets. The figures of carefree naiads, nymphs and cupids were placed on three open surfaces, which made the pavilion look like an ancient sanctuary of water maidens.

Sculptors Jean Goujon and Pierre Lescaut presented a new concept with figures harmoniously inscribed in the shape of the walls. So they created the illusion of space in a thin stone slab. The sculptural decorations resembled ancient images to such an extent that the building was called the French Nymphaeum or the fountain of nymphs.

Even today, the detailing of the sculptures is amazing. Facial features, patterns of wings, strands of hair, drapery of fabrics are amazingly clear and filigree. To create a masterpiece French sculptors inspired work Italian masters: Rosso (1495-1540), Primaticcio (1504-1570) and Benvenuto Cellini (1500-1571).

The arched structure was set on a high stepped portico through which water flowed, making the air around it fresh and cool. The purpose of this architectural technique had a dual purpose - water jets made the portico more elegant and hid the unevenness of the steps.

Fountain gets fourth wall, nymphs and naiads move to Louvre

The French nymphs were waiting for the test:

• in 1780, a market was organized on the site where the pavilion stood. The architectural structure was moved to the intersection of Saint-Denis and Berger streets. Since the location of the fountain changed, a fourth wall had to be added to it. The most difficult thing was to create sculptures that did not differ from the masterpieces of Jean Goujon and Pierre Lescaut. Augustin Pajou brilliantly coped with this task, and the fountain became a closed architectural structure. The assembly was carried out in a special closed pavilion, and in 1787 the reconstruction of the masterpiece of stucco art was completed;
• due to the opening of a new aqueduct under Emperor Napoleon, the water pouring through the portico began to spoil the ancient sculptures. It was decided to replace the stucco figures of nymphs, cupids and naiads with copies, and send the originals for storage to the Louvre;
• in 1858, the nymphaeum was restored and moved to the center of the Joashing du Bellay square. The old pedestal was replaced with a more modest but durable one.

The fountain is still functioning, and a square has been laid out on the site of the cemetery. Parisians like to gather here to take a break from worries under the shade of water jets. This place is considered one of the most beautiful corners of the capital of France.

Legends of Paris: Fountain of the Innocents

The "Fountain of the Innocents" is one of the most ancient monuments in Paris and an integral part of historical appearance French capital. Its ancient facade catches the eye with the perfection of sculptural forms and lines. For almost five hundred years of its existence, this unique monument period French Renaissance witnessed many milestone events.

History of creation

Fountain of the Innocents in the 16th century

In ancient times, on the site of the current Place of the Innocents in Paris, there was an old cemetery of the same name, where unbaptized babies, the poor and the mentally ill were buried.

A fountain was added to the wall of the cemetery at the intersection of the Parisian streets of Saint-Denis and the current Berger in the period 1547-1550, which had two facades. Its project was developed by the architect Pierre Lesko, and the sculptor Jean Goujon executed the construction in stone.

The construction of the fountain was timed to coincide with the solemn entry into Paris on July 16, 1549 of King Henry II. A tandem of artists worked on the creation of monuments, which were to be located along the route of the monarch. The new fountain became a kind of tribune with which he was greeted by the city's nobility.

After the end of the solemn procession, the fountain performed the usual functions - it gave the inhabitants of the city water that poured from taps that looked like lion heads. The fountain looked like an arched pavilion. From a bowl located inside the pavilion, water flowed down the steps. In the upper part of the building there was a living room with windows and a fireplace.

Initially, the design of the fountain was made as a wall. On three sides around the arcades there were figures of deities - naiads and nymphs, which symbolized the forces of nature. The structure was called the "Fountain of the Nymphs", but later the name "Fountain of the Innocents" took root in it, by analogy with the cemetery on whose territory it was located.

Historical transformations

In 1787, the Parisian cemeteries, including the Cemetery of the Innocents, were moved outside the city for sanitary reasons. After the remains of almost two million dead were transported to the city's catacombs, the market Les Halles ("Womb of Paris") was built on the vacated site.

At first, the fountain was planned to be dismantled, but thanks to the calls of the writer de Quincey not to destroy the masterpiece of French architecture, it was moved to the middle of the market and installed on a stone pedestal decorated with lion figures. The missing fourth facade for the fountain was made by the sculptor Augustin Pajou, repeating the style of the three existing ones. The image of the Parisian market with a fountain today can be seen in many old images that have survived to this day.
The page had to supplement the sculptural ensemble with two more figures of nymphs placed on the fourth side. The nymphs of Goujon were taken as a sample.

Initially, the fountain produced little water due to the city's poorly functioning water supply system. Under Napoleon Bonaparte, a new aqueduct was built, thanks to which water literally gushed out of the fountain. The pressure was so great that it began to threaten the integrity of the sculptural decoration of the building. For this reason, small bas-reliefs were removed from the pedestal and placed in the Louvre, where they are kept to this day. Currently, the fountain is decorated with their copies.

In 1858, the fountain was moved again, now to its present place in the center of the square, to a more modest pedestal in comparison with the previous one.

Architectural appearance

The architecture of the Fountain of the Innocents is multifaceted and complex

Fountain architects drew inspiration from looking at nymphaeums ancient rome, Roman structures from the Hellenistic era, which were usually installed next to the sources. As a rule, figures of nymphs, tritons, water deities were located in such places. The fountain was called the "Fountain of the Nymphs", as the inscription on the facade says. Its main decoration was the sculptures of Jean Goujon.

One of the main details of the structure is a small dome made of metal sheets imitating fish scales. The sculptural decor of the building consists of six horizontal reliefs depicting naiads, newts, cupids, and six vertical reliefs depicting nymphs that personify the forces of nature and poeticize them. Listening to the sound of rain, the rustle of leaves, the murmur of grass, the sculptor was delighted with the miracle of nature and skillfully embodied it in stone.

The dome of the fountain is stylistically very complex.

Images of nymphs are characterized by subtle poetry of images, unique grace of movements. Easily and freely, with special musicality and harmony, Goujon conveys graceful forms in relief. The plastic language of his sculptures is filled with melodious rhythms. The flowing folds of the robes echo the murmur of water pouring from stone vases. In the proportions of the figures, in the sophistication of their poses, one can feel the influence on the author of the Fontainebleau school. In total, eight reliefs by Goujon were placed between the pilasters. Only six have survived to this day.

Nymphs of the Fountain of the Innocent

The slender, as if soaring arcade, mounted on a marble pedestal, on which streams of water flow, resembling tears, is an excellent example of the Mannerist style that prevailed in Western European art in the 16th century. For this style characteristic is the desire to give height and harmony to architectural creations.

The pinnacle of Goujon's work

However, the sculptural appearance of the fountain has its own peculiarities. The images of the nymphs are filled inner light, which is typical for the work of Jean Goujon and distinguishes his art from the refined canons of the Fontainebleau school. Goujon's contribution as an artist was that he supplemented the sculptural images with decorative elements - curls, waves of draperies, elements from sea shells and twisted dynamic tails of marine life.

The nymphs of Goujon represent the true spirit ancient art the way it was in the 16th century. They resemble the beauties of "belle époque" - girls with graceful elongated proportions. Sculptural works Goujon anticipated the era of the Italian Baroque.

"Fountain of the Nymphs" art critics considered the pinnacle of Jean Goujon's work and the most perfect work of French sculpture in terms of smooth lines and harmony of forms. Goujon had an extraordinary sense of grace and a subtle understanding of female grace. It was these talents that allowed him to create unusually poetic sculptures of nymphs that adorn the fountain in the center of Paris.

Henri Perruchon in his novel "The Life of Renoir" describes this fountain as architectural structure, which shocked the future artist in his childhood. Renoir was fascinated by the curves of the bas-relief figures that adorned the Fountain of the Nymphs. Fifty years later, he described his first impressions of what he saw - "purity, naivety, lightness and elegance."

There is a street in Paris named after Jean Goujon.

Briefly about the creators

Jean Goujon

Famous French architect and sculptor Jean Goujon born presumably in Rouen between 1510-1520. First art education received in France, then during the religious wars, being a Protestant, he went to Italy, fleeing persecution, where he excavated and explored ancient monuments.

Goujon deeply studied the art of ancient Rome. He, like no one else, managed to revive the spirit of Greek antiquity in his work. One of the best works The sculptor is considered to be the gravestone of Seneschal Louis de Breze. In 1547 he became a master at the court of Henry II.

Famous Renaissance architect Pierre Lesko was born presumably in 1515 in Paris. Francis I appointed him chief architect of the Louvre. Thanks to him, the Louvre turned from a medieval castle into a Renaissance palace.

Pierre Lesko

Lesko carried out the interior decoration of the church of Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois, worked on the Carnavalet mansion, the castle of Jacques de Ligneri. He carried out many architectural projects in close collaboration with Goujon.

outstanding fruit joint creativity two talented artists became the Fountain of the Innocents. The architectural basis of the fountain was prepared by Pierre Lescaut in a manner familiar to the creative community of the two masters. Goujon preferred relief images, and Lesko, being his constant collaborator, depicted pilasters slightly protruding from the wall.

Modern everyday life of a historical monument

"Fountain of the Innocents" is located in the heart of Paris on Place Joachin du Belle next to the Forum Les Halles . Despite its venerable age, it still functions.

Beautiful Fountain of the Innocents

This building is considered the oldest of all Parisian fountains and the only one among them, made in the style of the Renaissance. Today, the fountain no longer provides its main function - supplying citizens with water, but it enjoys well-deserved respect among local residents and guests of the capital as a valuable relic. An entertaining story with its transfers and reconstruction, which came from the depths of centuries, is a vivid illustration of how in France at all times they respected architectural monuments and sought to preserve them for posterity at any cost.

Historians and art historians continue to study the past of the ancient fountain, which is fraught with many more interesting things. Gradually, new facts from the life of its talented creators also emerge.

The "Fountain of the Innocents" is surrounded by a small square of the same name. Today, this is all that remains of ancient cemetery. As in the Middle Ages, the place near the fountain is very popular among the townspeople. Residents of Paris love to set up business and romantic meetings here for each other, because it is easy to go from here in almost any direction - towards the Seine, to the Louvre, to the north of the capital ...

The Fountain of the Innocents is the oldest fountain in Paris. It is located in the Les Halles quarter on Joachim du Belle Square, named after the French poet of the 16th century, a contemporary of Ronsard. The monumental fountain is the most real masterpiece French Renaissance.

The Fountain of the Nymphs, as it was originally called, was built between 1547 and 1550 near the cemetery of the Innocents - the fountain adjoined the wall at the corner of the streets of Berger and Saint-Denis. It was designed by the architect Pierre Lesko, sculptures and reliefs were created by Jean Goujon. A fountain was erected in honor of the solemn entry into Paris in 1549 of King Henry II.

The further fate of the fountain was determined by the peculiarities of the place of its construction. The Cemetery of the Innocents was the largest burial in the city, and over time it overflowed. An attempt to solve the problem by building special huge crypts, where the remains of the dead were "handed over for storage", did not give anything. In 1786, Louis XVI ordered the exhumed ashes to be transferred from here to the Paris catacombs, and the fat from hundreds of thousands of decomposed bodies was used by artisans to make soap and candles.

A square with a vegetable market appeared on the site of the former cemetery. In 1788, the fountain was dismantled and moved to the center of the square - it became known as the Fountain of the Innocents. Since it was now visible from all four sides, the sculptor Augustin Pajou completed the fourth arch and an imposing plinth with four pools and lions. Under Napoleon Bonaparte, the fountain was fed by a more abundant watercourse from the Urk River, which improved the water supply of Paris - at one time this idea was put forward by Leonardo da Vinci.

The fountain is an outstanding example of the Mannerist style that was characteristic of Western European art in the 16th century. The shape of the structure itself repeats the outlines of the ancient Roman sanctuary dedicated to the nymphs - the nymphaeum. In stucco decoration, Jean Goujon made extensive use of the swirling tails of sea creatures, spiral shells, dynamic wavy lines of draperies and clothes.

The original bas-reliefs of the master from the pedestal of the fountain were transferred to the Louvre in 1824; tourists see only their copies on the square.