Neptune's Fountain

The Artus Court well located in Gdańsk, Poland, was discovered in 1549 and may have had metal decorations. The local authorities and Mayor Bartholomäus Schachmann aimed to raise a more notable monument, with an offer given to Jakob Kordes from Lübeck to complete the project. However, his plans were not accepted for unknown reasons. A new fountain was constructed at the center of the Artus Court facade, visible from the Green Gate with the Main Town Hall in the background. The fountain featured Neptune, the god of the sea, facing the townhouses that served as the residence of Polish kings during their stays in Gdańsk, with his head bowed in respect. The fountain was connected to the Potok Siedlecki via underground pumps, but the pressure was too low.

Between 1606 and 1615, the statue of Neptune was sculpted by Abraham van den Blocke and cast in bronze by Flemish artist Peter Husen and Gerdt Benning of the town casting guild. The stem was made from black tuff and the water installations were designed by Adam Wybe and made by Ottomar von Wettner. The water tanks were located on the roof of the Main Town Hall and Artus Court, and the fountain was only operational a few days of the year until the underground water system was modernized in the mid-19th century.

The fountain was painted and opened on October 9, 1633 after being delayed due to various disruptions. In 1634, the fountain was surrounded by a fence decorated with gilded Polish Eagles. Between 1757 and 1761, the fountain received its rococo architectural style through renovations made by Johann Karl Stender and meister blacksmith Jakob Barren. In 1927, the fountain underwent renovation, but in the 1930s, the Nazis removed the historic Polish Eagles as part of their effort to erase Polish history and heritage. The fountain was damaged during World War II and moved to German-occupied Parchowo, but was renovated and returned to operation on July 22, 1957 with the restoration of the Polish Eagles. In 1988, the fountain's genitals were covered with a fig leaf during renovation works, and a full renovation occurred between September 2011 and April 2012.