Five fascinating fountains from around the world

Fountains can be spectacular, intriguing, amusing and soothing, and many of them have become world-famous landmarks and tourist attractions.

The earliest example of water fountains can be found from 3000 BC, when they were simple structures that kept communities well hydrated and clean. A lot has changed since then, and now many fountains across the world are seen as grand pieces of art.

From the tallest and longest fountains in the world, to water features that use technology to dance in time to music, BBC Bitesize as we go on a tour of the world’s most fascinating fountains.

Jet d’Eau, Switzerland

The Jet d’Eau in Geneva, Switzerland is a sight to behold. 500 litres (110 gallons) of water a second, reach 140m (459ft) into the air from the fountain’s base on a small jetty.

But what might be surprising is that it was never meant to be a fountain at all, and its history is closely linked to the city’s need to power its industry, particularly watchmaking.

In the late 1800s, industry was booming in the city and power was needed to supply the factories, including the many watchmaking workshops. To help with this, a hydraulic power plant was constructed. A problem spouted when pressure built up overnight when the factories were closed, so a safety valve was installed which shooted water into the air.

Eventually, technological advances had made the valve redundant. However, the jet was such a familiar sight for locals, and so popular with tourists, that it was decided to build a second Jet d'Eau in a more visible spot, which you can still visit today. It was inaugurated in 1891.

Bellagio Fountains, USA

Musical fountains whose jets perform in time to music have a long history. It’s believed that one of the first was designed in 1820 by engineer Peter Bodor and installed in the Transylvanian town of Marosvásárhely, now Târgu Mureş, Romania.

Originally, musical fountains were controlled by a human operator pressing switches that opened and closed valves in time to the music. But advances in technology meant that computers now control most musical fountains.

Today, one of the most spectacular and technologically advanced musical fountains are the Bellagio Fountains in Las Vegas, USA which were completed in 1998 at a cost of $40 million (£32,465,200 million).

The lagoon in which the fountains stand holds 22 million gallons (83 million litres) of water while 1200 nozzles propel water up to 460 feet (140 metres) into the air - all in time to musical hits. Visitors can watch performances to the music of Lady Gaga, Elvis Presley and The Beatles.

Banpo Bridge Moonlight Rainbow Fountain, South Korea

While we we might often be impressed by how tall a fountain is, there are also some amazingly long ones in the world. One is Banpo Bridge Moonlight Rainbow Fountain in Seoul, South Korea which holds the Guinness Record for the world’s longest bridge fountain.

Spanning the Han River, the bridge is the country’s only double-decker bridge. But the bridge’s main attraction are the fountains attached to it.

The jets stretch for 1.14km (3740ft) on both sides of the bridge. During the fountain show which runs four or five times a day from April to October, they move and dance in time to music while illuminated by almost 10,000 LEDs, drawing tourists from all over the world.

Trevi Fountain, Italy

The Trevi Fountain in Rome is one of the most photographed fountains in the world. Every year, four million visitors scramble to see and take selfies in front of the baroque masterpiece. The attraction has become so crowded that recently a new queuing system was introduced to try to reduce the numbers.

Construction on the fountain, which sits at the end of a 2,000 year-old underground aqueduct, began in 1732 and shows Oceanus, Titan god of the sea, being pulled along by two winged horses.

You may recognise the fountain from one of many films. Roman Holiday (1953) starring Audrey Hepburn, and The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003) show the water fountain. Another movie, Three Coins in The Fountain (1954) popularised the legend of throwing coins into the fountain. Visitors stand with their back to the fountain and throw a coin with their right hand over their left shoulder. According to popular belief, this will ensure you have a return trip to Rome.

Approximately €1.4 million (£1,182,615) worth of coins are thrown into the fountain, which is then collected each year and given to charity.

King Fahd’s Fountain, Saudi Arabia

The battle to build the world’s tallest fountain has been raging for many years but, to date, the tallest fountain of this type is King Fahd’s fountain in Saudi Arabia, which was built in 1985.

The fountain shoots seawater drawn from the Red Sea 312m (1024ft) into the air, a height greater than that of the Eiffel Tower, at a speed of around 200kmph (124mph). It was donated to the City of Jeddah by the late King Fahd of Saudi Arabia.

One of the main challenges that the fountain’s designers and engineers faced when building it was that, since the fountain uses seawater, rust and corrosion constantly attack the mechanism - with the nozzles being particularly vulnerable. This led to the development of a special alloy, which allows them to last for years, rather than months, before having to be replaced.

This article was published in January 2025.