The Anna Seiler Fountain

This is the Anna Seiler Fountain, built in 1545 to replace an earlier fountain dating back to the 14th century. The statue on top shows a woman pouring water from a jug into a bowl, a symbol of the cardinal virtue of Temperance. The column she stands on comes from the Roman ruins of Aventicum, which was the most important city in Roman-era Helvetia. The fountain originally stood in front of the prison, so it was first known as the “Captivity Fountain.” In 1354, it was renamed in honour of Anna Seiler, a woman who had just passed away and left her home to the city so it could be turned into a hospital. The fountain is now officially recognised as a Swiss cultural asset of national importance.