Archduke Franz Karl of Austria Fountain

The fountain was designed in 1877 as a memorial fountain for the “Archduke Franz Karl 50 Years Spa Guest in Ischl” anniversary by Hans Greil, director of the Technical School in Hallstatt. Since Franz Karl died the following year (his wife had already died in 1872), the fountain became a monument to the imperial parents.  Franz Karl and his wife Archduchess Sophie of Austria were known to be of great importance for Ischl, as Sophie’s brine treatments in Ischl resulted in the births of the so-called "salt princes" Franz Joseph (later Emperor), Ferdinand Maximilian (later Emperor of Mexico, see the Max Fountain on Maxquellgasse) and Karl Ludwig. Construction of the fountain began in 1879, and was completed in 1881. The fountain was unveiled in that same year. The stonemasonry was probably done in cathedral workshops at Linz (Linzer Dombauhütte), since the stone material was donated by Bishop Rudigier of Linz Cathedral. The bronze parts were modeled by the Viennese sculptor Josef Lax, and cast by the Imperial and Royal Art Brass Foundery in Vienna (k.u.k. Kunst-Erzgießerei Wien). In 1889, the fountain received a cast iron fence, which was removed during WWII.

The neo-Gothic styled fountain is a complex of sandstone with a triangular foundation. Above a stepped base with a trefoil foundation is a structure with three hexagonal fountain basins. Noteworthy are the gargoyles designed as two-tailed dragons. On top, there is a high three-sided pinnacle tower with ornamental gables and turrets, on which there are two niches (dedications in German and Latin) and a bronze relief with the portraits of Franz Karl and Sophie as well as the coats of arms of Bavaria, Hungary and Austria. At the corners of the tower (on columns made of Traunsee marble) are three bronze statues: a miner, a hunter and a fisherman - the very traditional professions of the Salzkammergut.

The last restoration was completed on 3 October 2013 (see photos).

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