Good Luck Is Bestowed Upon Those Who Turn The Schöner Brunnen Ring Three Times:
Schöner Brunnen - Nürnberg Hauptmarkt
In Nuremberg’s market square (Nürnberg Hauptmarkt) is one of the city’s most famous fountains, the Schöner Brunnen (Beautiful Fountain).
A common sight at the south-west flank of the Beautiful Fountain is one of tourists hanging on to the fountain grille and having their photos taken. According to a local legend, if you turn the “golden ring” (this ring gets replaced due to wear and tear and on one occasion it was a black ring) on the grille three times and make a wish, your wish will come true. Of course this gets exaggerated along the way and a tour director’s take is that you will return to Nuremburg. Does it work? Well, so far so good … during our first visit in 2006 we turned the ring and we have now returned to Nuremberg. The golden ring is only quite small and not immediately noticeable.
The Beautiful Fountain in the Hauptmarkt is a replica that was placed here in the early 20th century. The original Schöner Brunnen was erected around 1385-96.
The Original Schöner Brunnen
This ornate and richly painted fountain was the work of master builder Heinrich Beheimby. The three-tiered Beautiful Fountain stands in an octagonal water basin and it looks like a Gothic church spire. The fountain soars 19 metres upward and features 40 sculptured figures which reflect the world-view of the Holy Roman Empire: the pool is decorated with figures representing philosophy and the seven liberal arts and above them are the four Evangelists and the four Church Fathers. In the middle are the Seven Electors and Nine Worthies and above them Moses and Seven Prophets.
The wrought-iron grille (1587) was the work of Paulus Kühn of Augsburg. Only fragments of the soft sandstone original survive and features and details of the original are now held in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum.
Address:
Schöner Brunnen
Hauptmarkt
90403 Nürnberg
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