Reiherbrunnen

Beneath the watchful gaze of a heron, the Reiherbrunnen whispers tales of Munich’s artistic past. The Reiherbrunnen, designed in 1899 by Theodor Fischer, stands proudly at the edge of the Au district, bordering Haidhausen. It’s right by the Regerplatz stop and across from the Maria-Theresia-Gymnasium. This isn’t just any fountain. The Reiherbrunnen is a beautiful work of art, a testament to Fischer’s vision and the skill of sculptor Joseph Floßmann. Look closely at the bronze heron grappling with an eel. It’s a dynamic scene, frozen in time. The water flows from the eel’s mouth, cascading over the heron and down into the copper basin below. The fountain itself is built upon a stone pedestal with a copper basin. A canopy of Kelheim limestone, supported by four square pillars, shelters the central feature. Twelve small figures support a large copper bowl beneath the canopy. These figures rest on a limestone base adorned with four small, flat heads. Water flows from their mouths into the main basin. In the middle of the copper bowl stands a kelch-like structure, capped by a sphere. Perched atop this sphere is the heron, wings spread, engaged in its eternal struggle with the eel. Above it all, on the arch of the stone canopy, a small boy holds the three lilies of Au in one hand and the Munich coat of arms in the other. The four stone pillars are richly decorated with forest animals and plants. A fence encloses the circular base, connecting the pillars. The Reiherbrunnen isn’t just a source of water; it’s a piece of Munich’s history, a blend of architecture, sculpture, and local symbolism. It has stood unchanged since 1899, a constant presence in a changing city. Remember the heron and the eel, a symbol of the Reiherbrunnen’s enduring beauty and the artistry of its creators.