Renaissance-style Fountain

In the heart of the medieval town of Mutzig, on the Alsace wine route about twenty kilometers from Strasbourg, stands an elegant Renaissance-style fountain.

Its richly decorated column shaft, topped with a globe, is a faithful replica of the original kept in the local museum. The current basin, rebuilt identically in 1911 based on plans by Johann Knauth, architect of Strasbourg Cathedral, harmoniously completes the ensemble.

The faces of the fountain are adorned with carved bas-reliefs: intertwined geometric patterns or allegorical figures, accompanied by fruits and birds. Four spouts, shaped like animal heads, let water flow into the basin. Once a market square, this historic site was also the scene of a dark event in 1793: the guillotine was erected here, notably for the execution of Michael Kessler, a farmer from Gresswiller condemned for his religious and political beliefs.