Berlin - Neptune Fountain and TV Tower at Alexanderplatz by t.ART

About "Berlin - Neptune Fountain and TV Tower at Alexanderplatz"

by t.ART

About the artwork

The baroque Neptune Fountain near Alexanderplatz is one of the most beautiful fountains in Berlin. Known to Berliners as "Forckenbecken", the water feature stands in the open space between St. Mary's Church and the Red City Hall and is a popular meeting place for Berliners and tourists.

The Neptune Fountain was originally built in 1891 in front of the Berlin City Palace. It was a gift from Berlin to Emperor Wilhelm II. The builder of the fountain, Reinhold Begas, achieved fame through it. While the fountain survived the Second World War without major damage, the figures were damaged by non-ferrous metal thieves in 1946. When the Berlin City Palace was blown up, the figures were put into storage and the red marble fountain bowl was destroyed.

It was not until 1969 that the fountain and its figures were rebuilt, this time in a different location. The open space created after the war between the Red City Hall and St. Mary's Church was occupied by the Neptune Fountain. The new fountain bowl is made of red granite, the figures were renovated.

At 368 meters, the Berlin TV Tower is the tallest structure in Germany as well as the fourth tallest TV tower in Europe. In 1969, the year of its completion, it was the second highest television tower in the world.

In good weather, you can see up to 80 kilometers away. The observation deck is located at a height of 203 meters. However, it goes a little higher, because above the floor is a restaurant. If you get a window seat here (reservation recommended), you can see Berlin from any direction within an hour, because the entire visitor sphere rotates once around itself within an hour.