| Neptune's Fountain | |
|---|---|
 Neptune's Fountain statue at theDługi Targ | |
 Interactive map of the Neptune's Fountain area | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Flemish Mannerism,Rococo |
| Location | Gdańsk,Poland |
| Construction started | 1606 |
| Completed | 1633 |
| Designated | 1994-09-08 |
| Part of | Gdańsk – city within the 17th-century fortifications |
| Reference no. | M.P. 1994 nr 50 poz. 415[1] |
Neptune's Fountain (Polish:Fontanna Neptuna;German:Neptunbrunnen) is a historicfountain inGdańsk, aMannerist-Rococo masterpiece, and one of the most distinctive landmarks of the city.[2] The fountain is located at theDługi Targ (Long Market),[3] in front of the entrance to theArtus Court.[4] It was constructed in the early 17th century.Kashubians use a nicknameKrësztof for the sculpture.
In 1549 a now unknownwell was located by the entrance of Artus Court, which may have had metal decorative pieces. The well was located slightly closer to theMotława.[5]
The local authorities of Gdańsk, together with Mayor Bartholomäus Schachmann wanted to raise a more notable monument. The first mason to receive an offer to complete the project was Jakob Kordes fromLübeck, but for unknown reasons, his plan was not accepted. The new fountain was to be constructed at the centre of the facade of the Artus Court, from theGreen Gate the fountain would be seen with theMain town hall in the background, with the turn to theLong Lane.Neptune - the god of the sea - was to be placed facing the townhouses, which were the residence of thePolish kings,[citation needed] while at their stay in Danzig, the mythological god was to have his head bow down to them. The fountain was to have underground pumps connecting the fountain to thePotok Siedlecki by Sienny Market; however, the pressure was too low.[6]
Between 1606 and 1615, there were pending projects,sculpturing, andcasting.[7] The sculpture's project was made byAbraham van den Blocke (1572–1628), with the statue made byFlemish Peter Husen. The sculpture was cast frombronze in 1615 in the town casting guild by Gerdt Benning.[8] The mass of the figure is 650kilograms.[9] The stem the figure is found on, is made from blacktuff. The architectural features of the fountain relate toFlemish Mannerism. The water installations were made by Ottomar von Wettner, with the water systems designed byAdam Wybe.[10] The water tanks were located on the rooftop of the Main Town Hall andArtus Court.[11] Until the second half of the nineteenth-century, when the underground water system was modernized, the fountain was only operational a few days of the year.
Formerly, the fountain was painted. The fountain was opened on October 9, 1633, the delay was caused due to numerous disruptions: the renovation of the Artus Court; problems with the robustness of the water system; thePolish–Swedish war;[11] and the death ofAbraham van den Blocke. In 1634 the fountain was encompassed by a fence decorated withgildedPolish Eagles.[2] The inauguration of the fountain's operation took place on March 23, 1634. Between the years of 1757 and 1761, Johann Karl Stender made new fragments of the fountain and stem, andmeisterblacksmith Jakob Barren had reconstructed and replaced the broken grate. This is when the fountain received itsRococo architectural style.[12]
In 1927, the fountain was renovated. In the 1930s,Nazis removed the historicPolish Eagles from the fountain's fence as part of removing traces of the city's Polish history and heritage.[13] The fountain was damaged duringWorld War II, and moved toGerman-occupiedParchowo.[11] After World War II the fountain was renovated between 1950 and 1954[2] and put back to operation on July 22, 1957. Historic Polish Eagles on the fence were restored.[2] In 1988, as part of renovation works the fountain'sgenitals were covered with afig leaf. A full renovation of the fountain occurred between September 2011 and April 2012.[14][15]
54°20′55″N18°39′12″E / 54.34855°N 18.65323°E /54.34855; 18.65323
