The Samson Fountain

This fountain is the Samson Fountain, built in 1544 by Hans Gieng. It depicts the biblical story of Samson killing a lion, a tale from the Book of Judges, part of the Torah, the Hebrew Bible, or what Christians call the Old Testament. According to the story, Samson was born to an Israelite couple who couldn’t have children until an angel appeared and promised them a son with extraordinary strength, who would one day free the Israelites from the oppression of the Philistines, the people who would later give their name to Palestine. But there was one condition, his hair must never be cut, because that’s where his strength came from. As a young man, Samson falls in love with a Philistine woman. This worries his family, since the Philistines were enemies of the Israelites. Still, Samson is determined to marry her. On the way to see her, he’s attacked by a lion, which he kills with his bare hands, tearing it apart. Later, he finds a swarm of bees and honey inside the carcass. This strange episode inspires a riddle he poses to the guests at his wedding. When no one can solve it, it sparks a violent conflict that leads Samson to attack the Philistines, and launch a rebellion that ended badly for everyone involved.