Vennerbrunnen on Rathausplatz: the banner bearer

The Vennerbrunnen stands on Rathausplatz, in front of the town hall of the Canton of Bern. The figure shows a Venner. That was the word in Bern for a banner bearer who carried the city's banner in armour. Hans Gieng made the fountain in 1542. It is one of the figure fountains of the Old Town from the 16th century.

From wood to stone

With the stone fountain, Gieng replaced a wooden installation from the 14th century. It stood on Schwendplatz, at the top of Nydeggstalden, at the eastern end of the Old Town.

A fountain on the move

In 1844 the fountain had to make way for the building of the Nydeggbrücke and was moved. From 1880 to 1913 the figure and the capital with the four masks stood on the Amthausgassbrunnen on Amthausgasse. In 1913 they came to Rathausplatz, where they stand to this day.

The original is in the museum

The figure on the column is a copy. The original is in the Bern Historical Museum. The fountain was repaired in 2016. Drinking water flows from the fountain.

Good to know

Take a close look at the figure: below it, four masks sit on the capital, and the banner carries the Bernese bear. From Rathausplatz it is only a few steps to the Minster and the Zytglogge.