A very posh water feature

The Fontaine de la Charmille is a fancy multi-level stone structure sitting in a round basin. It is also known as the Grande fontaine de l’Orangerie because the people of Strasbourg like to give things impressive names. It looks exactly like the kind of fountain where a 19th-century aristocrat would stop to adjust their hat. Water spurts out from the very top and then spills down into the basins below. It is a very rhythmic sound that helps to drown out the noise of nearby children screaming.

Grumpy lions and leafy tunnels

If you look closely at the lower part of the fountain you will see sculpted lion heads. These lions are also water spouts which seems like a strange job for a king of the jungle. They spend their days spitting water into the pool while looking slightly annoyed about it. The fountain is located at the end of a long alley of hornbeam trees. These trees are trimmed every year to create a tunnel of leaves. It is very shaded and cool which is perfect for people who want to avoid the sun.

Survival of the fittest stone

This fountain has seen some drama in its time. In September 2007 a massive tree decided to fall directly onto it. The impact cracked the stone and probably gave the local council a heart attack. They had to remove the whole thing for repairs in 2009. It took them until 2012 to put it back in its rightful place. It is now fully restored and hopefully the surrounding trees have learned to behave themselves. It is quite a resilient piece of garden furniture.

A relic of the industrial age

The fountain was not always there. While the Parc de l’Orangerie is very old this specific feature arrived later. It was part of the 1895 Industrial and Crafts Exhibition. This event was a big deal because it doubled the size of the park. The city wanted to show off how sophisticated they were by adding lots of water features and monuments. The entire park has been protected as a Historic Monument since 1993. This means you are legally allowed to admire it.