The Zähringen Fountain

There really are a lot of fountains in Berne, and this one is the Zähringen Fountain, named after the man who founded the city in 1191. It was built in 1535, and the original basin was octagonal, but it was replaced in 1889 with the one you see today, an exact replica of the basin from the Bagpiper Fountain. That same year, the fountain was also repainted. On top of the column stands an armored bear holding a shield and a banner with the Zähringen family crest. At his feet is another smaller bear, a nod to the city’s founding legend. According to legend, Duke Berchtold V of Zähringen was searching for a place to establish a new settlement. He killed a bear on this peninsula formed by the Aare River and decided to found his city here. In honour of that event, the bear became Berne’s symbol, and as you’ve probably noticed, it’s everywhere.