Fairy Tale Fountain, Frankfurt

The Frankfurt Fairy Tale Fountain (Märchenbrunnen) is an Art Nouveau bronze fountain that is located at Willy-Brandt-Platz. It was designed by Ernst Friedrich Jausmann in 1910.[1] The fountain is notable for its sculptural program depicting characters from well-known fairy tales.[2] These figures reflect the cultural tradition of storytelling and contributes to the site’s popularity. The fountain has become a recognizable feature of the surrounding park and is often used as a gathering point and a location for photography.[2][3]

History

It was designed by Ernst Friedrich Jausmann in 1910.[1][4] The fountain’s construction was started and financed by patron Leo Gans. He established an art fund and allocated 150,000 marks (approximately 1.2 million euros in today’s purchasing power) for the project.[5] It originally stood near the former Neues Schauspielhaus. During World War II, its bronze was melted down for metal to create weapons, leaving the monument incomplete for decades[6][7]

Based on photographs from the 1920s, the fountain was reconstructed in 2006 by the North Korean firm Mansudae Overseas Projects at the Mansudae Art Studio.[8][9][10] Germany commissioned the reconstruction in 2005 for approximately €200,000 (about $264,480 in 2024 value), making it the only Western democracy known to have employed the services of Mansudae for such a project.[11][12]

According to Klaus Klemp, deputy director of Frankfurt’s Museum of Applied Art, the commission was due to the limited availability of German sculptors working in a traditional realist style.[13] The reconstructed sculpture drew some criticism for showing differences from the original, including the depiction of a female figure with a hairstyle considered similar to socialist realist sculpture.[11]

Since May 2006, it has stood fully reconstructed in the Wallanlagen Park west of the Frankfurt Opera House.

  • Frankfurt Fairy Tale Fountain
  • The fountain in 2020
  • The fountain in front of the Frankfurt Opera House

References

  1. ^ a b "Fairy-tale Fountain". www.visitfrankfurt.travel. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  2. ^ a b "mindtrip". Mindtrip. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  3. ^ "Märchenbrunnen". www.frankfurt-rhein-main.de. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  4. ^ Risse, Heike (1987). Baedeker's Frankfurt. Jarrold. ISBN 978-0-13-369570-0.
  5. ^ "Comprehensive Guide to Visiting Frankfurter Märchenbrunnen, Frankfurt am Main, Germany". Audiala: Your Pocket Tour Guide. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  6. ^ "Mansudae Art Studio, North Korea's Colossal Monument Factory". bloomberg.com.
  7. ^ "Objekte M". www.kunst-im-oeffentlichen-raum-frankfurt.de. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  8. ^ "Mansudae Art Studio repaired German fountain". www.nkeconwatch.com/.
  9. ^ "North Korea builds monuments around the world". www.cbsnews.com. 2018-11-16. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  10. ^ Sayej, Nadja (2013-10-29). "Behind Mansudae: Art from the Biggest Studio in North Korea". VICE. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  11. ^ a b "This North Korean Art Factory Will Build Monuments to Your Leaders". Hyperallergic. 2013-06-11. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  12. ^ Lee, Claire (2018-09-20). "What is the story behind Mansudae Art Studio in Pyongyang?". The Korea Herald (in Korean). Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  13. ^ Steinhauer, Jillian (2013-06-12). "North Korean factory offers propaganda art on the cheap". Salon.com. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
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50°06′30″N 8°40′23″E / 50.1083°N 8.673°E / 50.1083; 8.673

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