Fontaine de la Rotonde

The Fontaine de la Rotonde (French for Rotunda Fountain) is a fountain in the city of Aix-en-Provence, located in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in France. The fountain can be found at the Place de la Rotonde, in the Cours Mirabeau. It is the biggest fountain in the city, at 12 meters high and 32 meters wide.

The Fontaine de la Rotonde

History

The fountain was built to serve as a marker for the entrance of the city. To do this, the city's ramparts were destroyed to make way for the fountain, as well as an obelisk. The fountain was designed by the architect Theophile de Tournadre, and its construction was completed in 1860.

Design

The fountain has pairs of lions around its base. On the higher level, there are bronze statues of children riding swans. On the level above it are heads spouting water. Its centerpiece however, features three female statues, all standing back-to-back, looking in different directions. The first woman looks at the Cours Mirabeau, representing justice. The second woman is looking in the direction of Marseille, which represents trading and agriculture. The final woman is looking in the direction of the city of Avignon, which is meant to represent the fine arts.

Additional Information

The Fontaine de la Rotonde is considered a Neo-classic historic monument. It was the first fountain in Aix-en-Provence to have its own cast iron bath. The fountain's nearby area is equipped with a defibrillator.