Bartholdi's Fountain in Comics

A fountain for Bordeaux

The Bartholdi fountain is today one of the symbols of Lyon. Yet, it was not originally conceived for the capital of Gaul. Its story begins several hundred kilometers further south, in Bordeaux.

A project conceived for Bordeaux

In 1857, the city of Bordeaux launched a competition to design a large fountain for the Place des Quinconces. The young sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi submitted a spectacular work depicting a chariot driven by a woman surrounded by four spirited horses.

His project was ultimately rejected, mainly due to its very high cost.

Lyon seizes the opportunity

A few years later, the city of Lyon was looking for a prestigious monument to beautify the Place des Terreaux. Mayor Antoine Gailleton discovered Bartholdi's project and decided to acquire it.

The fountain was inaugurated in 1892 in front of the Town Hall.

What do the four horses represent?

Although its first name was the "Triumphal Chariot of the Garonne", its official name, «"The rivers and springs flowing into the ocean"», directly explains the role of his statues:

• The personification of waterways: THE four spirited horses which seem to emerge from the fountain represent the rivers, streams and impetuous torrents that rush towards the sea.

• The power of nature: The dynamic movement of the runners, combined with the water that is projected from their nostrils under the effect of the effort, embodies the raw force, energy and untamed character of moving water.

• Mastering the elements: These horses pull the chariot of a divine female figure (Amphitrite or an allegory of France/Garonne). She symbolizes the entity that governs and guides these wild aquatic forces towards the ocean.

A work signed Bartholdi

A few years earlier, Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi had become famous throughout the world thanks to the Statue of Liberty, which he gifted to the United States.

The Terreaux fountain is today considered one of his major works in France.

A spectacular restoration

Exposed to the elements for over a century, the fountain underwent a major restoration between 2016 and 2018.

The bronzes have been cleaned, the fragile elements consolidated and the hydraulic system completely modernized in order to preserve this exceptional heritage.

Did you know?

• 🗽 The creator of the fountain is also the sculptor of the Statue of Liberty.
• 🐎 The four horses appear to leap out of the water thanks to a composition that was very innovative for the time.
• 🏛️ The fountain was originally intended to be installed in Bordeaux.
• 💦 It has been located in Place des Terreaux since 1892.
• ✨ Its complete restoration was finished in 2018.

📍 Where is the Bartholdi fountain?

The Bartholdi fountain occupies the center of Place des Terreaux, between Lyon's City Hall and the Museum of Fine Arts. It is one of the most photographed monuments on the Presqu'île.