6 Fascinating Fountains Around The World

Fountains have been used since history began to add character and ambience to outdoor spaces. This list looks at ten of the more spectacular or fascinating fountains from around the world.

# Big Wild Goose Pagoda Music Fountain, Xian City, China

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda is the back drop of what claims to be the largest musical fountain in Asia with the longest light bar. The fountain has 22 different sprays that can be used to create a large folding waterscape. Fire can also be seen at times shooting out of the holes.

# Fontana de Trevi, Rome, Italy

The Trevi Fountain is the considered the largest baroque style fountain. The fountain resided at the end of the Aqua Virgo aqueduct (which was built in 19 B.C.). The fountain was designed to represent the many fluctuating moods of the sea. Neptune is the center of the fountain and he is flanked by tritons. Completed in 1762 it stands 25.9 meters high (approx. 83 ft.) and is 19.8 meters wide (approx. 65 ft.). The Trevi fountain is the main theme in the movies Three coins in a fountain, Roman Holiday, and Dolce Vita. The water at the bottom of the fountain represents the sea and standing with your back to the fountain and tossing a coin over your shoulder is a legend that means you will return to Rome.

# Charybdis Fountain, Seaham Hall, Sunderland, UK

The Charybdis Fountain is a vortex fountain created by water artist William Pye. Charybdis was a siren who stole the oxen of Hercules. Zeus punished her by striking her with a lightening bolt and turning her into a vortex that swallowed up ships. Charybdis Fountain is the largest vortex fountain. Encased in a clear plastic type polymer with an air-core vortex that rises every 15 minutes gives this fountain look of the water standing alone.

# La Joute Fountain, Montreal, Canada

Created by artist Jean Paul Riopelle in 1969, La Joute fountain is a kinetic sculpture fountain. Surrounded by a pool that ignites in a timed ring of flames that lasts 7 minutes and circled by a host of bronze statues of human and animal nature. Jets form over the statues and start to create a dense mist that gas is shot through to form the fire. The whole process last about 32 minutes.

# Castle Square Fountain, Swansea, Wales

There is nothing too remarkable about this fountain except during St. David’s Day (Welsh St. Patrick’s Day) when the Castle Square Fountain and the waterfall are dyed a deep red. This gives way to their fountain being called the blood fountain. The water stays dyed red from March 1 (St. David’s Day) until March 9.

# Mercury Fountain, Barcelona, Spain

Created by Alexander Calder for the Spanish Republican government to memorialize the siege of Almaden. This was first displayed in Paris in 1937 during the World Exhibition. Later it was moved to Barcelona. Not knowing the effects of mercury, it was open to everyone. Now it can be viewed behind glass so no harm comes to people from the fumes or touching the mercury.