Fontaine Louvois
Encyclopedia
The Fontaine Louvois is a monumental public fountain
in Square Louvois on the rue Richelieu in the Second Arrondissement of Paris
, near the entrance of the Bibliothèque nationale de France
. It was built between 1836 and 1839 during the reign of King Louis-Philippe.
which had been built in 1792 and demolished in 1820. The fountain was designed by Louis Visconti, and the sculpture is by It was restored in 1859, 1874, and 1974. It also features in Episode 1 Season 4 of Gossip Girl
. It is the fountain that Serena (Blake Lively
) is pushed into by Blair (Leighton Meester
).
, the Garonne
, the Loire
, and the Saône
, represented by four statues of women who support the upper basin. The base of the statue is decorated with four tritons
mounted on dolphins. Around the rim of the large marble basin of the fountain are twelve carved signs of the zodiac
, alternating with mascarons, the spouts which pour water.
Fountain
A fountain is a piece of architecture which pours water into a basin or jets it into the air either to supply drinking water or for decorative or dramatic effect....
in Square Louvois on the rue Richelieu in the Second Arrondissement of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, near the entrance of the Bibliothèque nationale de France
Bibliothèque nationale de France
The is the National Library of France, located in Paris. It is intended to be the repository of all that is published in France. The current president of the library is Bruno Racine.-History:...
. It was built between 1836 and 1839 during the reign of King Louis-Philippe.
History
Square Louvois was created in 1830, on the site of the former Théâtre National de la rue de la LoiThéâtre National de la rue de la Loi
The Théâtre National de la rue de la Loi was a Parisian theatre located across from the Bibliothèque National de France on the rue de la Loi, which was the name of the rue de Richelieu from 1793 to 1806. The theatre was built by the actress and theatre manageress Mademoiselle Montansier, and opened...
which had been built in 1792 and demolished in 1820. The fountain was designed by Louis Visconti, and the sculpture is by It was restored in 1859, 1874, and 1974. It also features in Episode 1 Season 4 of Gossip Girl
Gossip Girl (TV series)
Gossip Girl is an American teen drama television series based on the book series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series was created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, and premiered on The CW on September 19, 2007...
. It is the fountain that Serena (Blake Lively
Blake Lively
Blake Christina Lively is an American actress and model who stars as Serena van der Woodsen in the television teen drama series Gossip Girl...
) is pushed into by Blair (Leighton Meester
Leighton Meester
Leighton Marissa Meester is an American actress and singer. Meester first garnered attention for playing Blair Waldorf in the CW television series Gossip Girl...
).
Design
The fountain was intended as an hommage to four great rivers of France: the SeineSeine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
, the Garonne
Garonne
The Garonne is a river in southwest France and northern Spain, with a length of .-Source:The Garonne's headwaters are to be found in the Aran Valley in the Pyrenees, though three different locations have been proposed as the true source: the Uelh deth Garona at Plan de Beret , the Ratera-Saboredo...
, the Loire
Loire
Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.-History:Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon...
, and the Saône
Saône
The Saône is a river of eastern France. It is a right tributary of the River Rhône. Rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department, it joins the Rhône in Lyon....
, represented by four statues of women who support the upper basin. The base of the statue is decorated with four tritons
Triton (mythology)
Triton is a mythological Greek god, the messenger of the big sea. He is the son of Poseidon, god of the sea, and Amphitrite, goddess of the sea, whose herald he is...
mounted on dolphins. Around the rim of the large marble basin of the fountain are twelve carved signs of the zodiac
Zodiac
In astronomy, the zodiac is a circle of twelve 30° divisions of celestial longitude which are centred upon the ecliptic: the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year...
, alternating with mascarons, the spouts which pour water.