The city of Vienna, Austria, unveiled a 1.8 million euro ($1.9 million) fountain on Oct. 23 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the city’s modern water system, Heute reported.
The city initially thought the project would cost 2.1 million euros, but the fountain, which includes 33 abstract humanoid figures, came in under budget, Heute reported.
Viennese mayor Michael Ludwig and Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen attended the opening ceremony. “150 years ago, the water pipe brought the best quality drinking water to us from the Lower Austrian Alps. The day marks Vienna’s liberation from water shortages and epidemics such as cholera,” Ludwig tweeted in German.
Vor 150 Jahren brachte die Wasserleitung Trinkwasser in bester Qualität aus den niederösterreichischen Alpen zu uns. Der Tag markiert Wiens Befreiung von Wassernot & Seuchen wie der Cholera. Heute habe ich den Brunnen gemeinsam mit Bundespräsident @vanderbellen eröffnet. pic.twitter.com/8BXk3cVeES
— Michael Ludwig (@BgmLudwig) October 24, 2023
“The name of the anniversary fountain ‘WirWasser’ [‘WeWater’ in English] stands for the responsibility that society bears for water. The structurally very demanding fountain was built in just eight months,” wrote Ludwig.
Der Name des Jubiläumsbrunnens „WirWasser“ steht für die Verantwortung, die die Gesellschaft für das Wasser trägt. Der bautechnisch sehr anspruchsvolle Brunnen wurde in nur acht Monaten umgesetzt und befindet sich am Eingang zum Helmut-Zilk-Park, Ecke Gudrunstraße/Sonnwendgasse. pic.twitter.com/g7UKaodfAs
— Michael Ludwig (@BgmLudwig) October 24, 2023
Critics slammed the project as an unnecessary “luxury fountain,” Heute reported.
Others took issue with the fountain’s design. “Human language has no words to describe how hideously ugly this is,” one user posted in German, while another asked if the fountain was “surrounded by aliens.”