Tours · Bratislava · Fountain
Maximilian's Fountain
Crowned by an armoured knight, Bratislava's oldest fountain has watered the Main Square since 1572. Locals swear the stone warrior turns and bows once a year, on the stroke of New Year's midnight.
About this place
Standing at the heart of Hlavne namestie, the Main Square, Maximilian's Fountain is the oldest surviving fountain in Bratislava. It was commissioned by Maximilian the Second, ruler of Royal Hungary, in 1572, partly to give the town a reliable public water supply after a fire had torn through the city during his lavish coronation festivities of 1563. A tall stone column rises from the basin, topped by a knight in full armour. Officially the figure portrays Maximilian himself, leaning on a shield bearing the Hungarian coat of arms, yet over the centuries the people of Bratislava rechristened him Roland, the legendary champion of Charlemagne and a beloved European symbol of civic justice and freedom. Restored to its sixteenth century appearance in 2019, the fountain remains the square's beating heart, a meeting point ringed by pastel townhouses, cafe terraces and the old Town Hall.
Key facts
- 1572 year — Maximilian the Second ordered the fountain built, making it the oldest in the city
- 10.5 metres — Height of the central column topped by the armoured knight
- 2019 year — The fountain was fully restored to its original sixteenth century look
📍 Hlavné námestie 355/4, 811 01, Bratislava