Rudolf Strüssi fountain

The Rudolf Stüssi fountain, in Zurich

The Rudolf Stüssi fountain is a fine ornamental fountain of the old town of Zurich, surmounted by the statue of a man in armour. The Zurich audio-guided tour stops here to evoke these fountains typical of the Swiss Renaissance, at once water points and symbols, and the figure of Rudolf Stüssi, former burgomaster of Zurich, who died in combat defending his city.

The fountain of the burgomaster in armour

You have here, in the heart of the square, a fine fountain surmounted by the statue of a man in armour. If you have already visited Bern, you are doubtless familiar with this type of ornamental fountains, often considered as a particularity of the Swiss Renaissance. These fountains were places of life and gathering for the inhabitants, because they supplied the city with drinking water. But they were also laden with symbols, through the choice of the effigy that surmounted them. Here, you meet Rudolf Stüssi, former burgomaster of Zurich, that is to say the head of the municipality. He holds in his right hand a long sword and, in his left hand, the banner of Zurich, symbols of his combat to extend the power and the influence of his city. His ambitions led to a conflict that would later be called the Old Zurich War, that opposed the city to the other confederate cantons. Stüssi died in combat defending a bridge, and his name remained attached to the memory of the city as that of a heroic defender. The fountain, finely sculpted and painted with vivid colours, adds a picturesque touch to the square and recalls the art of the Swiss fountains, at once utilitarian and commemorative. A Renaissance fountain and a tribute to a burgomaster, the Rudolf Stüssi fountain is a fine stop of the discovery of Zurich.

What to see

Here you admire a fine ornamental fountain of the Swiss Renaissance, surmounted by the statue of Rudolf Stüssi, former burgomaster of Zurich, holding a sword and the banner of the city; these fountains formerly supplied the city with water and bore symbolic effigies. Stüssi died in combat defending a bridge during the Old Zurich War. The Rudolf Stüssi fountain is a witness of the history of Zurich. It is a fine stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Rudolf Stüssi fountain stands on a square of the old town of Zurich, reachable on foot or by tram. It is a monument in free access in the public space, that you discover during a walk in the historic centre.

Who was Rudolf Stüssi, whose fountain bears the name in Zurich?

A former burgomaster of Zurich, that is to say the head of the municipality, represented in armour holding a sword and the banner of the city; his ambitions to extend the influence of Zurich led to the Old Zurich War, and he died in combat defending a bridge. His statue surmounts an ornamental fountain typical of the Swiss Renaissance.

Where is the Rudolf Stüssi fountain in Zurich?

On a square of the old town of Zurich, in Switzerland.