Right ahead of you in the middle of the spacious market square, look for an elegant, twelve-sided stone pavilion with a gleaming green copper roof, topped with an ornate lantern - that's the Waterwork Wismar, standing proudly like a jewelled crown in the heart of the city.
Welcome to the Waterwork Wismar, the true “water wizard” of the old town! Imagine yourself here on this bustling market square nearly 400 years ago; around you, merchants set up colorful stalls, townsfolk hurry about, and smack in the center stands this remarkable building. Unlike any ordinary fountain, this was a dazzling feat of Renaissance engineering, designed by the Utrecht master builder Philipp Brandin. From afar, it looks like it could be a miniature palace for a particularly fashionable duck - but actually, it was built to keep thirst at bay for everyone in Wismar.
Back in the 16th century, Wismar was facing a very modern dilemma: everyone wanted fresh water, and they wanted it fast! Small wells just couldn’t keep up. In 1563, the city fathers rallied their best minds and decided to build a waterwork. They brought in water from the Metelsdorf springs, channeling it through hollowed-out wooden pipes - talk about eco-friendly plumbing! At first, a wooden collection basin at the edge of town did the trick. But the city grew, thirstier than ever, so they dragged the whole setup here to the market square in 1595. Imagine the noise and chaos of workers hammering pipes into the earth!
But wooden basins rot faster than a loaf of bread left out for the crows. Enter Philipp Brandin, ready to swap timber for sturdy stone in 1579 - for a handsome 200 talers upfront. The only hitch? The magical stones he needed were still somewhere on Gotland Island. The project quickly devolved into a comedy of errors worthy of its own soap opera: money ran out, squabbles erupted, and Brandin threatened to quit unless the funding flowed. One year led to another. Brandin eventually gave up the idea (and the stones) in exchange for what he’d already been paid, and the city called in a replacement: Heinrich Dammert from Lübeck, who finally finished the job in 1602. Was it Brandin’s or Dammert’s masterpiece? A local historian later wondered if Brandin deserved the credit - maybe Dammert was the true "water hero"!
Now, the finished waterwork did more than just impress with Renaissance flair, with its delicate stonework and fancy copper cap topped by a pretty, six-sided lantern. This structure was the heart of a network pouring fresh spring water to 220 houses and 16 public taps across town - a lifeline for people and livestock alike. On the eastern side, you would once have seen two cheeky bronze figures carrying water; legend called them Nix and Nixe, but gossipy locals dubbed them “Adam and Eve,” or rather less politely, “Frau- and Mannloch.” The city fathers blushed so intensely that they banished the statues to the museum, worried about the example they set for curious children!
The story doesn't end there. In 1685, the council built an “Old Water Tower” in a nearby fortress, connecting it to the market’s water network with wooden pipes - because if there’s one thing you want in a siege, it’s not running out of tea water! In 1861, as the fountain started sinking beneath its own weight and the water tank ran dry, architect Heinrich Thormann upgraded the whole setup, swapping old pipes for gleaming cast iron. Underfoot, the original fountain’s Latin inscription survives, telling tales of ancient taps and parched lips, its translated German version added during a later restoration so no one would get lost in the past.
By 1897, Wismar’s waterwork was retired by modern infrastructure, but the city couldn’t let such a beauty fall apart. Massive restoration efforts in the 20th century, involving craftspeople from all over Mecklenburg, saved it from decline - even family dogs must have chipped in! And in a final twist, the original “Nix and Nixe” returned (as replicas) in 1998, this time unlikely to shock. Even a small fire in 2005 couldn't break the waterwork’s spirit - the structure held firm.
So as you stand here today, you aren’t just gazing at an old fountain; you’re surrounded by centuries of engineering squabbles, dazzling artistry, and a city’s determination to quench its thirst in style. Now, don’t get any funny ideas about fishing for coins - this is Wismar’s treasure, and its magic is in the stories flowing all around you!
