The World’s 8 Most Innovative Fountains
Many major cities around the world claim at least one attraction-worthy fountain. The Bellagio in Las Vegas, Italy’s Trevi and Chicago’s Buckingham are just a few world-famous fountains. Impressive as those “typical” fountains can be, we are taking a look at a completely different variety.
The fountains on this list are not the most famous or the biggest. These unique pieces of art combine jaw-dropping beauty with mind-blowing innovation. From a fountain that incorporates fire to a rainbow waterfall that pours from a bridge, these eight unconventional artistic expressions do more than make a splash.
1. The Giant at Swarovski Crystal Worlds
Innsbruck, Austria
Photo via Flickr/Costel Slincu
Swarovski Kristallwelten (Crystal Worlds) opened in 1995 to mark the centennial of the Austrian-based crystal company. The Giant, as it’s called, is a grass-covered fountain that serves as the museum’s entrance just outside Innsbruck. This verdant behemoth spews water from its mouth, which gathers in a small pound. Each May, Swarovski Crystal Worlds hosts the Music in the Giant festival, showcasing chamber music from within this fountain and its greater complex. The museum has year-round exhibits relating to the world of crystal.
2. Crown Fountain
Chicago, Illinois
Photo via Flickr/EightySixFilms
Crown Fountain in Millennium Park is Chicago’s “other fountain.” While it may not have the history and grandeur of Buckingham Fountain, it’s as impressive as it is entertaining. Equal parts fountain and interactive artwork, it features two 50-foot glass towers separated by a shallow pool where crowds often gather to play during warmer months. Both towers display LED videos of the faces of various Chicago residents. Stand at their base and engage the faces in a blinking contest, but be warned, they often open their mouths to spit water on anyone standing close enough. In winter when Chicago’s other fountains run dry, Crown Fountain continues to entertain, sans water, with its images.
3. La Joute
Montreal, Canada
Photo via Flickr/art_inthecity
Some fountains incorporate light and music into their performances, La Joute in Montreal puts on an fire show every hour from dusk until dawn. Located in Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle, named after the sculptor who created the fountain, La Joute is backed by the colorful facade of the Montreal Convention Centre. The fountain is adorned with bronze sculptures of humans and animals, which are encircled by an impressive ring of fire before it’s extinguished by the fountain’s water.