The Ross Fountain Edinburgh

Images of Britain: The Ross Fountain, Edinburgh

The Ross Fountain, Edinburgh, Scotland. — The 19th century Ross Fountain, Edinburgh, Scotland

The Ross Fountain below Edinburgh Castle in West Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh is a large and ornate cast iron fountain designed by the French sculptor Jean-Baptiste Jules Klagmann in the 19th century.

The fountain was cast in the Durenne ironworks in France and exhibited at the Great Exhibition in London in 1862.

The work was a gift to the city of Edinburgh by Daniel Ross, a gunmaker and philanthropist. Daniel Ross donated the fountain to the city in 1869, and it was originally installed in West Princes Street Gardens in 1872.

The design features mythological figures, including mermaids, cherubs, and horses, creating an elaborate and detailed Victorian aesthetic. Over the years, the fountain fell into a state of disrepair, and by the late 20th century, it was no longer in operation.

In 2018, the Ross Fountain underwent a significant restoration project, which included dismantling, cleaning, and repairing the cast iron components. Sir Tom Farmer, a Scottish entrepreneur and philanthropist who founded the Kwik Fit chain of garages, contributed a substantial amount to the restoration efforts. It was carefully reinstalled in West Princes Street Gardens in 2018.