Revist

 

When you revisit somewhere after a few years you tend to notice the changes, even if you're not sure what has happened. This was the case when I saw Republic Square in Valletta for the first time in 4 years. It took me a few minutes to realize what was wrong; it wasn't a parking place anymore but a fully functional square with a modern fountain and benches to sit. And I must confess I like the change.

 

Trevi Fountain

No visit to Rome would by complete without a visit to the Trevi Fountain, and that is apparently the opinion of most of the tourists in Rome. The area around the fountain is always packed with tourists and stalls selling trinkets to the needy so it can actually be difficult to see the beauty of the sculptures, let alone get a decent photo of them.

Golden Orbs

The Caritas Well on Gammeltorv in Copenhagen is the oldest of the fountains in Copenhagen. It's from 1608 and ordered by King Christian IV. On certain days, like the Queen's birthday, golden orbs made by copper coated with 24 carat gold is put in the fountain. To hinder theft a discreet guard is placed there as well.

A New Fountain

In front of yesterday's building, Krystallen in Copenhagen, a new fountain has been made. As it's a bit difficult to see the fountain when it's not in use, I imagine one should avoid crossing the square in case someone suddenly decides to turn it on.

Water Again

The fountains in Copenhagen has been dry all winter to prevent frost damage. A sure sign of spring is when they start sprouting water again. This is from the fountain in Amaliehaven right next to the Royal Residence of Amalienborg.

The Just

The Matyas Fountain or Matthias Fountain at the Budapest Palace on Castle Hill was made in 1904 by Alajos Stróbl in honour of king Matthias Corvinus and his beloved Ilonka. It depicts a hunting scene with falconers, hunters, deer and dogs. Ilonka, the peasant girl he according to legend fell in love with during a hunt, can be seen under the columns to the right. Called the Just Matthias was King of Hungary, Bohemia, Dalmatia, Croatia, Rama, Serbia, Lodomeria, Cumania and Bulgaria, Prince of Silesia and Luxembourg, Margrave of Moravia and Lusatia.

Golden apples

The fountain Caritasbrønden (Charity Well) on Gammel Torv (Old Square) in Copenhagen have surprise on certain days; golden globes representing golden apples is put in the upper fountain to jump on the jets of water. This occurs on Royal birthdays and Constitution Day and is a tradition going back to the 18th Century.

The fountain is from 1608, built by King Christian IV, the great Danish renaissance builder, and it's the oldest fountain in Copenhagen.

Fountain of Neptune

This time I leave Copenhagen proper for a short time. At Frederiksborg Castle in Hillerød north of Copenhagen can be found the Fountain of Neptune. This is a small detail of one of the figurines that ring the basin. Neptune himself is on top of the column in the middle of the fountain where he too sprouts water from his feet. I like this picture a lot mainly because of the way the water is captured moving in different directions. With the sun shining through the water you can even see the cobwebs on the figurine if you look closely.

The fountain is originally from 1622 but was taken as booty of war by the Swedish in 1659. It was never returned but a new fountain was cast from the original figures in 1888.

The Frederiksborg Castle is a Renaissance castle build by King Christian IV in 1600 - 1620 and he often used it as his residence. The church was used in the anointing of the Danish kings in the years 1671 - 1840 and it's also the order church for the Order of the Elephant, the highest Danish order, and for the Order of Dannebrog. In the church all the shields of the members of the Order of the Elephant are on display.

On the other side of the lake is a magnificent Baroque Garden that is well worth a visit.

Link to Frederiksborg Castle in English

Dragons

This is a detail from the Dragon Fountain found on the City Hall Square in Copenhagen. The big orange balloon in the background contains CO2 and was a way to raise peoples awareness on

environmental issues.

The Dragon Fountain was inaugurated in it's original form in 1904 without the bull in the middle. The artists were Thorvald Bindesbøll and Joakim Skovgaard. They lost a competition held by the Association for the Beautifying of the Capital in 1889 for a fountain on Højbro Plads but it was later decided to use their design near the City Hall instead. It was ridiculed and compared to a spittoon for many years until the bull was added in 1923. Now it is a favorite hangout for the many pigeons at the square and they don't just spit on it!

Danish link to the fountain's history