Work to start on restoration of historic ornamental fountains

Restoration work is about to start on one of three of the Old Town’s historic ornamental fountains. The photograph shows the Kolin figure, which dates back to 1541, being removed from Kolinplatz to a specialist restorer, Vitus Wey, in Sursee in the canton of Lucerne.

Hence Zug will have to manage for six months without its city patron. It is not exactly sure who it depicts; it could be the Zug war hero Peter Kolin or Wolfgang Kolin, the founder of the Gasthaus zum Ochsen.  

Unlike with other figures at fountains in the Old Town, this Kolin figure removed on Wednesday afternoon was the original one. The original figures at other fountains were removed to museums long ago and replaced by copies. The Kolin one has not actually been restored since 1980-1981 though it was extensively cleaned, repainted and re-gilded in 1998.

As Nathalie Wey of the Cantonal Office for the Protection of Historic Buildings and Monuments explained, it is high time something was done, as it is in a bad state, with cracks evident. In fact had anyone climbed on it, it could have given way.

Other fountains and their bases such as the Oswald one on St Oswalds Gasse and the Schwarzmurer one on Hirschenplatz are also due to be restored, though these are not in such a precarious state.

No figure was released as to the cost of the restoration, but it was made known the canton would be contributing to it.