Feel the cool spray on your face. That’s the Blätterbrunnen. A seemingly simple fountain yet it holds a story. The Blätterbrunnen or as some call it the Ständehausbrunnen or even the Cimiotti-Brunnen stands near the Kröpcke. It’s at the corner of Karmarschstraße and Ständehausstraße. This isn’t just any fountain. It’s a work of art. Sculptor Emil Cimiotti created it. He was a significant figure in German Informel art. That’s abstract art from the 1950s.
The Blätterbrunnen wasn’t always here. It arrived in 1976. That was after the completion of the U-Bahn construction. The Ständehausstraße was redesigned. Then came a surprising move. In 2011 the Blätterbrunnen had to go. The Kröpcke-Center was being renovated. The fountain was carefully removed. It was stored away. After the renovations it reappeared. It was only about 45 meters from its original spot. Its grand return was on May 10 2014. Hannover’s mayor Stefan Schostok and Emil Cimiotti himself were there. The relocation cost about 100000 Euros. The Kröpcke-Center’s investor covered the costs.
The Blätterbrunnen’s design is unique. It’s a bronze sculpture. It’s about 4.2 meters on each side. It sits in a square basin. Granite blocks edge the basin. The Blätterbrunnen depicts leaves. They seem to grow wildly. Water flows out from hidden places among the leaves. Cimiotti used an ancient technique. He made a wax model. Then he surrounded it with sand. Finally hot metal was poured over it. The wax melted leaving the bronze. It’s a testament to skill and artistry.
There’s a hidden detail. Look closely. A small snail hides within the foliage. Children particularly enjoy searching for it. It adds a playful touch to this serious art piece. A final anecdote connects the Blätterbrunnen to Cimiotti’s personal life. Apparently Cimiotti used the fountain as a meeting place. He’d wait there for his wife. Once two men chatted nearby. They commented on the fountain’s construction. Cimiotti explained the lost-wax casting process. The men doubted him. Cimiotti insisted he’d made it. The men’s response? “The fountain has always been here!” The Blätterbrunnen a masterpiece of art. It’s also a quiet witness to Hannover’s history. A perfect spot to rest and reflect.