The Fish Box

The “Fischkasten” or “Syrlin fountain” – such are the names for Ulm market’s fountain next to the “Rathaus” – is the oldest preserved fountain in Ulm, based on the time at which it was built.

The name “Fischkasten” originates from the use of the fountain by the fishermen of Ulm, who sold their freshly caught fish here.

The triangular pinnacle within the twelve-sided basin is a masterpiece of late gothic, decorative artwork. The sculpture work of the turned pinnacle, with its exposed branch work and the figures of the knights with their coats of arms, the imperial eagle and the shield of Ulm are well worth seeing.
The master sculptor who built the fountain, Jörg Syrlin the elder of Ulm, engraved his full name, his signature and the year, 1482, above one of the knights. The three original figurines of the knights can be seen in Ulm Museum.