The fountain is made of hammered lead, a material chosen by Bartholdi to allow for complex, detailed modeling that iron or bronze did not permit at the time.
The four horses represent the Garonne, the Rhône, the Saône, and the Loire rivers.
Bartholdi initially designed the piece for the 1889 World's Fair in Paris, but the commission for Bordeaux fell through due to financial disputes.
The fountain weighs approximately 21 tons.
It was classified as a French Monument Historique in 1995.
The Bartholdi Fountain, located in the Place des Terreaux in Lyon, is a leaden sculpture originally designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi for the city of Bordeaux. Completed in 1888, the fountain depicts four galloping horses representing the four main rivers of France flowing into the ocean. The city of Bordeaux originally commissioned the work for the Quinconces Esplanade but found the cost too high and declined it. Lyon subsequently purchased the fountain in 1890 to enhance the aesthetic of the Place des Terreaux. It underwent a significant restoration between 2016 and 2018 to stabilize the lead plates and reinforce the internal metal structure. The fountain is considered a masterpiece of the sculptor who is also famous for creating the Statue of Liberty. It sits centrally in the square, which was redesigned by architect Christian Drevet and artist Daniel Buren in the 1990s.
Capture the fountain from the northern end of the square to include the Hôtel de Ville facade in the background.
Visit during the early morning to photograph the fountain without crowds in the square.
Combine your visit with a walk through the nearby Traboules of the Presqu'île district.
Avoid sitting on the fountain's edge, as it is a protected historical monument.
