Audio GuideFontaine des Innocents
Renaissance-style fountain completed in 1550 to honor King Henry II, depicting nymphs & Greek gods.
Park
Paris, France
Welcome to the Fontaine des Innocents, a remarkable landmark nestled in the first arrondissement of Paris, on Place Joachim-du-Bellay. Constructed during the French Renaissance between the years fifteen forty-seven and fifteen fifty, the fountain was created to commemorate the grand entry of King Henry the Second into the city. It was designed by architect Pierre Lescot and beautifully adorned with sculptures by Jean Goujon. At that time, it was known as the Fountain of the Nymphs.
Originally positioned against the wall of the Saints Innocents Cemetery, the structure served both as a practical water source and a ceremonial loggia. Its elevated platform was used by officials to welcome the king as he passed by. Over the centuries, its role evolved. When Paris moved its cemeteries beyond the city limits in the year seventeen eighty-seven, the surrounding area turned into a bustling market square, ultimately sparing the fountain from demolition.
Subsequent transformations under Napoleon and additions during the Second French Empire enhanced its design and water system. In the mid-nineteenth century, architect Gabriel Davioud re-centred the fountain amidst urban redevelopment, further integrating it into Paris's evolving cityscape.
Recent restoration work from two thousand twenty-three to two thousand twenty-four updated its hydraulic system, improved the lighting, and replaced weathered sculptures with faithful replicas. Situated close to the Les Halles and Châtelet metro stations, the Fontaine des Innocents now stands as a tangible link to Paris's rich history and cultural legacy.
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