Saint-Michel Fountain

The Saint-Michel Fountain was part of the urban planning project planned by Baron Haussmann, who commissioned architect Gabriel Davioud to create a new monumental fountain to mask a blind wall. St Michel Fountain is located on Place Saint-Michel by the River Seine, in the Latin Quarter. Gabriel based the centerpiece of a bronze Saint Michael, with a bronze statue. The square is a traditional meeting spot for students from the nearby Sorbonne University and other colleges. It is indeed associated with the riots of May 1968 when the students gathered there and declared it an “independent state” in the face of tear gas and police. St Michel Fountain was built against the gable wall of a building that overlooks the square and Pont St-Michel, It was unveiled in August 15, 1860. The architects Davioud, Flament, Simonet and Halo contributed to the fountain's design. Nine sculptors created its lavish architectural and sculptural features that turn it into a perfect illustration of neo-Renaissance style. The bronze statue of the patron saint of France stands on top of a rock-like base sculpted by Félix Saupin. The facade is divided into four horizontal sections that frame a central niche flanked by four Corinthian columns of red marble. St Michel Fountain was built with red and green marbles mixed with blue and yellow stones. There are four columns in total, each bearing a statue representing one of the four cardinal virtues: Prudence, Fortitude, Justice and Temperance. These harmoniously showcase the fountain's many architectural and decorative features. The Saint-Micheal Fountain is one of Paris's most monumental fountains. The fountain symbolizes the triumph of good over evil, represented respectively by archangel Michael and a demon.

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