In the center of Residenzplatz, the historic heart of Salzburg, the jets of the majestic Residenzbrunnen shimmer in the rays of the sun. This work of art in the luxurious Baroque style is considered one of the most beautiful and recognizable landmarks of the city.
The four-tiered fountain consists of several sculptural groups. In the fountain basin stands a rock, from the foot of which sea horses burst out toward all four points of the compass, striking with the beauty of movement frozen in marble. The horses, beating the air with their hooves, send jets of water from their nostrils and mouths, which looks even more impressive in the evening when the fountain's bright illumination is switched on.
On the rock, four atlantes hold the bowl of the fountain's third tier on their mighty shoulders. In the bowl writhe three giant creatures, which everyone calls dolphins, although they look more like mythical fish, for they have scales and fins. On the tails of the fierce fish rests a perfect shell, in which sits Triton - half-man, half-fish, the son of Poseidon. Myths say that when Triton blows into the shell, the waves of the sea part and enemies flee, but in Salzburg only a jet of water shoots upward from Triton's shell, scattering into a rainbow above the square.
The fountain on Residenzplatz was created by the Italian sculptor Tommaso di Garona in 1656-1661, and from 2008 to 2009 the fountain sculptures underwent a major restoration that cost the city authorities one million euros.
