Gallery of log for Water Fountain
S41 26.429 E147 08.426
This Val d'Osne Fountain is in Princes Square Launceston, Tasmania.
Val d’Osne Fountain - was first exhibited in the Paris Industrial Exhibition of 1855 as the show-piece for Barbezat & Co., proprietors of the foundries of Val d'Osne, the fountain was purchased by the Launceston Municipal Council in 1859 to commemorate the completion of Launceston's town water scheme in 1857. The 4 main base statues are Neptune, Galatea, Amphitrite and Acis.
A popular local myth regarding the Fountain is that it itself was an accident and was never intended to have been sent to Launceston. As the myth states, Launceston in Cornwall, England bought the fountain and had it shipped from France but due to the shared names of the two towns, the fountain was accidentally sent to Launceston in 'Cornwall Shire', Tasmania. Due to the high shipping costs of returning it, the fountain was then placed in the new square as the council did not know what else to do with it. This legend is not supported by historians and defies historic records of purchase, the myth itself was likely based around an article in a local newspaper whereby the 'Cornwall Chronicle' of 26 February 1859 pointed out the low price of around 40-50 pounds that the council reported having spent which seemed to go against what would have been expected for a fountain of its stature.
A lesser known urban myth is about the top piece of the fountain. The myth states that the original portrayed a half-naked nymph which was scorned by the citizens of the city as being too rude and so it was replaced by a 'pineapple'. The myth itself is flawed by the fact that the top piece of the fountain is actually a sheaf of reeds and that the catalogue from which the council made the original purchase clearly displays the top piece that is in situ today.
There is the same fountain in Quebec is called the Tourney Fountain, as it was relocated from Tourney,in France (at a cost of four million dollars)to mark the 400th anniversary of the city of Quebec at a cost of four million dollars.
This Val d'Osne Fountain is in Princes Square Launceston, Tasmania.
Val d’Osne Fountain - was first exhibited in the Paris Industrial Exhibition of 1855 as the show-piece for Barbezat & Co., proprietors of the foundries of Val d'Osne, the fountain was purchased by the Launceston Municipal Council in 1859 to commemorate the completion of Launceston's town water scheme in 1857. The 4 main base statues are Neptune, Galatea, Amphitrite and Acis.
A popular local myth regarding the Fountain is that it itself was an accident and was never intended to have been sent to Launceston. As the myth states, Launceston in Cornwall, England bought the fountain and had it shipped from France but due to the shared names of the two towns, the fountain was accidentally sent to Launceston in 'Cornwall Shire', Tasmania. Due to the high shipping costs of returning it, the fountain was then placed in the new square as the council did not know what else to do with it. This legend is not supported by historians and defies historic records of purchase, the myth itself was likely based around an article in a local newspaper whereby the 'Cornwall Chronicle' of 26 February 1859 pointed out the low price of around 40-50 pounds that the council reported having spent which seemed to go against what would have been expected for a fountain of its stature.
A lesser known urban myth is about the top piece of the fountain. The myth states that the original portrayed a half-naked nymph which was scorned by the citizens of the city as being too rude and so it was replaced by a 'pineapple'. The myth itself is flawed by the fact that the top piece of the fountain is actually a sheaf of reeds and that the catalogue from which the council made the original purchase clearly displays the top piece that is in situ today.
There is the same fountain in Quebec is called the Tourney Fountain, as it was relocated from Tourney,in France (at a cost of four million dollars)to mark the 400th anniversary of the city of Quebec at a cost of four million dollars.
Rated: for Overall Experience.
