Legend says Bishop Eucharius baptized the first Christians here. We are standing at the Herrenbrünnchen in Trier. It is more than just a monument. It is a source of stories and water for Trier. For centuries, it secured a large part of the city’s water supply.
Let’s step back in time. Imagine the 3rd century. Bishop Eucharius is here. He is performing baptisms. This is one legend of the Herrenbrünnchen. Nearby once stood a temple. It stood very close to the Herrenbrünnchen.
The building before us dates back to 1682 for the ground floor. The upper floor was added in 1728. This upper floor houses the baroque Ratsherrenstube. Inside are four panels. They depict the history of this place.
Records show a Brunnen first mentioned around 1200. Bishop Boemund ordered a structure built in 1299. This was to protect the drinking water from contamination. Around 1494, Archbishop Johann II ordered a Brunnenstube built. He also ordered a water line to the Hauptmarkt. The Taufborn continued to be used alongside the Trinkwasserbrunnen.
To increase the water supply, a new tunnel was dug in 1503. It went into the Schiefergrund. Now, more than just the Marktbrunnen benefited. Several monasteries and public institutions connected to the water line.
French troops under King Ludwig XIV conquered Trier. They destroyed the Brunnenhaus and the network in 1673-75. Reconstruction began in 1682 under Johann Hugo von Orsbeck. That’s when it was first called Herrenbrünnchen. The lower part of the building dates to this time.
Another water tunnel was added in 1728. The Ratsherrenstube was also added. It was on the second floor. Newly elected councilors retreated to this room to celebrate. One inscription says they drank something other than water.
From 1752 to 1759, Archbishop Johann IX Philipp von Walderdorff renovated the entire facility. This allowed more water into the lines. In 1864, a third tunnel was driven toward Olewig. This further increased the water quantity.
In 1883-84, a waterworks started in Pfalzel. A central water supply began in 1899. From then on, the Herrenbrünnchen only supplied the Laufbrunnen.
During World War II, the Brunnenhaus suffered. Its roof and windows were destroyed. From 1946, it supplied water to the Allied administration in Heiligkreuz.
The building underwent a major renovation in 1961. At that time, the nearby municipal swimming pool and Palastgarten fountains were supplied with water from the tunnels. Since 1970, no water has been taken for the city supply. It flows into the Olewiger Bach. From there, it empties into the Mosel. The facility was renovated again in 1988-89 and 1994.
The Herrenbrünnchen gives its name to a nearby street. In 2005, large trilingual panels were installed. They inform about this hidden treasure. The Stadtwerke Trier offers tours. You can explore the Brunnenhaus, the tunnels, and the Ratsherrenstube. These tours take place on the Tag des offenen Denkmals. The Herrenbrünnchen is more than just a source of water. It’s a source of history.