Fontaine aux Lions de Nubie, once known as Fontaine du Château d’Eau
The Fontaine aux Lions de Nubie (Nubian Lions Fountain) is located at the entrance to the Parc de la Villette, on Rue Jean-Jaurès.
Designed by the engineer Pierre-Simon Girard, famous for his work on the Canal de l’Ourcq, this magnificent fountain was erected in 1811.
It originally adorned the centre of the Place de la République, then called Place du Château d’Eau, and received various names, such as the Fontaine du Château d’Eau and later the Fontaine de Bondy, due to its proximity to Rue de Bondy.
Although primarily ornamental, the Fontaine du Château d’Eau served mainly as a water reservoir, supplying the Temple and Marais districts.
It was eventually replaced by a larger fountain during the expansion of the Place du Château d’Eau in 1867.
Fontaine aux Lions de Nubie in Parc de la Villette
This magnificent fountain was rebuilt opposite the Grande Halle de la Villette, the former livestock market of Paris, where it served as a watering trough.
This relocation gave the square its name, Place de la Fontaine aux Lions.
Today, it is bordered by iconic landmarks, such as the Philarmonie de Paris, the Grande Halle, the Théâtre Paris-Villette, the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (Paris Conservatory), and the Pavillon Janvier.
The fountain was built from stone quarried at Château Landon, a malleable stone ideal for sculpture. It consists of a series of interconnected concentric basins that spill into one another. An ornamental column, flanked by two smaller basins, adorns the upper section.
It is named after the four pairs of cast-iron lions, depicted in a sphinx-like pose, with water spouting from their mouths, which appear to guard the basins. These lions were produced at Le Creuset factory, as evidenced by the original mark and date of manufacture engraved on their bases. The Fontaine aux Lions de Nubie was designated a Historical Monument on March 2, 1979.
Directions: 19th district
Metro: Porte de Pantin on Line 5
Coordinates: Lat 48.889715 – Long 2.392288
