The City of Brussels announced this week it will launch a major renovation and maintenance programme for the city’s fountains.
Deputy Mayor and municipal Councillor for Historical Heritage, Florence Frelinx (MR) announced the first phase of a six-year multi-year plan.
The plan will be rolled out over the next three years after it was approved by the mayor and municipal college councillors.
A number of fountains have been announced for renovation.
The first works have already begun this year: the Fontaine du Square Marie-Louise (near Ambiorix) has already been connected to the water supply, had leaks repaired and undergone landscaping maintenance.
Fontaine du Square Marie-Louise. Credit: Heritage Brussels
Adorned with a tall spray of water, three waterfalls and a cave, this fountain is considered among the most beautiful in the city. It is located in the upmarket Schuman area – a key stomping ground of many EU workers and diplomats.
The Horta Fountain, also known as the Naïades Fountain (N.B. there is an eponymous Naïades Fountain in the municipality of Forest), will soon undergo technical refurbishment. It is located at the bottom of the steps on Rue Ravenstein, on the way from the Royal Park.
The fountain was built between 1921 and 1923 by sculptor Jacques Marin, following the works carried out to establish the new Rue Ravenstein. It features three-level stone basin, decorated with a marble bas-relief depicting two naked women carrying a jug from which water flows and two naked children riding a bronze turtle.
Fontaine Horta
Two fountains will receive attention around Place Bourse. The Auguste Orts Fountain. Erected in 1888 by public subscription, the memorial fountain was dedicated to the lawyer, liberal councillor and historian Auguste Orts (1814-1880).
Today, it is unfortunately the hang out of Place Bourse’s pigeon population, so the 136-year-old fountain is in need of some tender, love and care. The nearby Bourse Fountain will also receive a refurbishment.
Auguste Orts Fountain
Another iconic fountain set to be renovated is the Anspach Fountain in Place Sainte-Catherine.
It was originally erected on Place de Brouckère in 1897 to celebrate Anspach’s major achievements, the clean up and cover over the Senne river. However, it was taken down in 1973 and re-erected in its current location in 1981 due to the metro works in Place de Brouckère.
According to Frelinx's press release, the other fountains are the Continental, Tivoli, Vieux Marché aux Grains and the Maelbeek fountains.
City of Brussels Deputy Mayor Frelinx stated that beyond technical restoration, the project reflects a broader vision of the place of heritage in the capital.
"Preserving our fountains means preserving part of Brussels' identity. It also reminds us that our heritage should not be frozen in time but should be part of everyday life, at the heart of the city and at the service of its inhabitants," she emphasised.
According to the Deputy Mayor, these interventions will help to enhance the capital's appeal to tourists while improving the quality of life and conviviality of public spaces.
"With this six-year plan, which I wanted to be realistic and measured, I want to restore them to their rightful place in the city and reveal, fountain after fountain, the cultural and historical richness they embody," she concluded.
