Fountain of the Innocents

The Fontaine des Innocents, the oldest fountain in Paris, is located on the Piazza Joachim du Bellet, which is named after the French poet of the XVI century. Fontaine des Innocents is a masterpiece of the French Renaissance. The architectural project of the monument belongs to Pierre Lescaux, reliefs and sculptures by Jean Gougon. A fountain was built in honor of Henry II, who set foot in Paris in 1549.

The fate of the Fontaine des Innocents was determined by the peculiarities of its location. When the cemetery of the Innocents, which was located next to the fountain, overflowed, by order of Louis XVI, the ashes were transferred to the Paris catacombs, there is even a version that the fat of the decomposed bodies was used to make soap and candles. The cemetery has become a vegetable market. The fountain was dismantled, moved to the center of the square, called the Fountain of the Innocents.

Now the Fontaine des Innocents is visible from 4 sides, and the sculptor Augustin Pajoux adds a fourth arch and a pedestal with pools and lions. The shape of the fountain repeats the outlines of the sanctuary of ancient Rome. Jean Gougeon used the tails of sea creatures, wavy lines and spiral shells.

Today on the square you can see copies of bas-reliefs of the master, the originals were transferred in 1824 to the Louvre.