Anna-Seiler-Brunnen in front of the Käfigturm

The Anna-Seiler-Brunnen (Anna Seiler Fountain) stands at the upper end of Marktgasse, right in front of the Käfigturm. It was built in 1545/46 and replaced a fountain from the 14th century. The figure comes from the workshop of the sculptor Hans Gieng, who also made other figure fountains of the Old Town. He did not sign his figures, which is why people speak of his workshop.

What the figure shows

On top of the column stands a woman in a blue dress. In one hand she holds a bowl, with the other she pours water into it from a small jug. She probably stands for Temperance (Latin Temperantia), one of the four cardinal virtues. Until the 19th century the fountain was therefore also called the Temperantia fountain. Even earlier it was known as the “Kefibrunnen” or the fountain “by der Gefangenschaft” (by the prison), after the Käfigturm, which was a prison at the time.

Who was Anna Seiler?

Anna Seiler lived in Bern in the 14th century and died before August 1360. She was a widow and had no children. On 29 November 1354 she made her will: her fortune was to support a hospital with 13 beds for poor, bedridden people, “always and forever”. The hospital was in today's Zeughausgasse and after her death was run on under her name.

After the Reformation the hospital moved into the empty convent of St. Michael “in der Insel” (on the island). This building gave the Inselspital its name. The Inselspital foundation still goes back to Anna Seiler's will today, and the new main building of the Inselspital is called the Anna-Seiler-Haus.

How the fountain got her name

Originally the figure had nothing to do with Anna Seiler. Only in 1847 did Karl Howald from Bern see the hospital founder in it, and the fountain has carried her name ever since.

A copy on the column, the original in the museum

• In 1785/86 the fountain got a new trough designed by Niklaus Sprüngli.
• From 1889 to 1960 it stood a few houses further along, in front of Marktgasse 52. Since 1961 it has stood in front of number 58 again.
• In 1962 the figure was replaced by a copy by Werner Dubi. The restored original is on display in the Bernisches Historisches Museum (Bern Historical Museum).
• In 2013 the fountain was renovated, and in 2020 the copy of the figure was restored.

Good to know

The fountain stands on the street and is freely accessible. The nearest stop is “Bern, Bärenplatz” (tram and bus), about 100 metres away; from the station it is around five minutes on foot. Drinking water flows from the fountain, more on this in the article Fountain water in Bern. On 11 November at 11.11 am the carnival bear is locked in the Käfigturm right next to it.