Herkulesbrunnen

The Hercules Fountain is one of the three major ornamental fountains in Augsburg and stands on Maximilianstrasse. The work was created between 1596 and 1600 by the sculptor Adriaen de Vries in the style of Mannerist Renaissance art. The central figure is a bronze group nearly ten feet (three meters) tall, depicting the nude, bearded demigod Hercules. He holds a flaming club, with which he fights the seven-headed monster Hydra in order to scorch its roots. This scene symbolizes humanity's victory over the wild power of water and fire, but also the strength of the Free Imperial City of Augsburg. Historically, the figure is also associated with Emperor Charles V, while the Hydra embodies the seven German electors who opposed him in the Schmalkaldic War.

A rich cast of figures is grouped around the main sculpture. Three naiads sit on a ledge, representing the element of water and at the same time interpreted as goddesses of time and fate. Below the scallop shells, muscular sea gods rise from the water, accompanied by three putti holding geese whose heads spout water in a high arc. Especially valuable are the three gilded bronze relief panels in marble frames, which show important scenes from the city's history: the founding of Augsburg, the alliance between Rome and the city, and the entry of the city's patron goddess on a triumphal chariot.

To preserve the original, the bronze statue of Hercules was moved to the glass-roofed inner courtyard of the Maximilian Museum, where you can see it today. Since then, a weatherproof cast has stood atop the fountain, while the remaining figures and panels have likewise been replaced with durable recastings. As part of the Augsburg Water Management System, the fountain was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2019.