Le Cracheur

Le Cracheur, known as Den Spauwer in Brussels' Dutch tradition, is a historic wall fountain at the corner of Steenstraat and Kolenmarkt, not far from the Grand-Place. Set into a slanted corner building from 1823, the fountain itself probably dates back to the 14th century. Originally known as the Blue Fountain, it was rebuilt after the destruction of 1695. The current figure, a Triton leaning out of the wall and spitting a thin stream of water, probably dates from the renovation by the sculptor François-Joseph Janssens in 1769. Architectural alterations followed in 1786 under Claude Fisco, who created a neoclassical round-arched niche with a parapet and a buttoned cornice. The bust and the basin were replaced with copies in the 19th century, with the new basin forming part of a restoration under Victor Jamaer in 1890. The structure has been a protected monument since 2002. After the building's owner cut off the water supply for years, the fountain was put back into operation in 2022, so today visitors can once again see it in all its glory.