Margrave Fountain (Bayreuth)
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The Margrave Fountain (German: Markgrafenbrunnen) is a fountain in Bayreuth, Germany. It was built as a monument for Margrave Christian Ernest of Brandenburg-Bayreuth after he had participated in the liberation of Vienna, which had been besieged by the Turks in 1683. The Margrave's equestrian statue is placed in the centre of the fountain, surrounded by other sculpture groups representing the four known continents as well as four rivers rising in the Fichtel Mountains.
The fountain was designed by German sculptor Elias Räntz in 1699 to 1705 by order of Margrave Christian Ernest. It was placed in the outer courtyard of the Old Castle, today it stands in front of the New Castle (Neues Schloss).[1]
Sitting on his horse, Margrave Christian Ernest is depicted wearing an armour. Beneath his horse, an anguished Turk is lying on the ground. On the other side, the Margrave's court dwarf is holding a shield with the inscription "PIETAS AD OMNIA UTILIS" (piety is useful for everything). Originally, both the Margrave's and the dwarf's statue were gilded.
