Tinguely Fountain

A Splash of Genius and Madness – Tinguely Fountain If Salvador Dalí and Rube Goldberg had teamed up to build a fountain after a night out in Basel, this might be the result. Tinguely Fountain isn’t your average “stand-and-stare” kind of fountain. Nope. It’s a bunch of metal creatures, built from what looks like leftover parts from an old theater backstage, dancing and splashing around like they’re alive—and possibly a little tipsy. Created by the Swiss artist Jean Tinguely in the late 1970s (clearly ahead of his time… or out of it), this kinetic fountain moves, squirts, spins, wobbles, and somehow perfectly captures the chaotic joy of creativity. Each piece has its own rhythm, like a rusty ballet with water jets. I loved how playful and unpredictable it was—like the fountain has a sense of humor. Don’t expect a peaceful moment of reflection here; expect to smile, get splashed, and maybe question the laws of physics. Located right in front of the Basel Theater, it’s basically the city’s most artistic water fight. A must-see if you enjoy quirky, clever art that doesn’t take itself too seriously (and neither should you). 💧 Pro tip: Go when it’s sunny. Watching water fly through the air in golden light is magical. Just don’t stand too close unless you brought a towel.

Another fantastic place to visit in Basel. The water works are great to watch. People liked fo sit here and chill and eat food.

It's ingenious. We visited on a very hot day so it was nice to sit I a shaded area and enjoy the mechanics as well as the coolness of the water close to us.

The Tinguely Fountain is a delightful blend of art and engineering. These kinetic sculptures resembles dancers, each moving in its own unique way. I love it when the sun hits just right and you keep seeing rainbows forming all over the fountain, I think the best time to visit is around 5pm+ when the sun is hanging low!

Brilliant fountain in the centre of Basel comprising moving sculptures which squirt water designed by Jean Tinguely in 1977. Well worth a visit!

Fantastic art installion! The sculptures move in rhythmic harmony, spraying water with wondrous abandon. Brutally mechanical and comforting in one experience. A must see when visiting Basel.

5 stars Quirky, kinetic, and completely captivating. The Tinguely Fountain is one of those spots that’s both whimsical and thought-provoking—a perfect blend of art and motion right in the heart of Basel. I stumbled on it by chance and ended up staying far longer than expected, just watching the sculptures come to life. A must-see if you appreciate creativity with a playful twist. Bonus: it’s totally free and photogenic in any season.

A creative and imaginative fountain. It is one of the most interesting attractions in Basel.

There is plenty to see at the Tinguely Fountain. Jean Tinguely (1925-1991) was the master of kinetic sculptures. Machinelike structures that move and spin and make noise and eventually, fail. For now, though, this fountain endures. "The Fasnachtsbrunnen was built between 1975 and 1977. It stands on the site of the stage of Basel's old city theatre, which was demolished in 1975 and replaced by today's theatre complex designed by the architects Schwarz & Gutmann." It's not hard to spent an hour here if you wish to appreciate each of the dozen or so moving sculptures as they rise and lower, spin and turn, spit water and go silent. It's an impressive display. A caption nearby points out a description of each piece in German, French and English. [Review 21223 overall - 72 in Switzerland - 188 of 2024.]

Without a doubt the strangest fountain I have ever seen. The Tinguely Fountain was on a list of interesting things to see in Basel so we gave it a shot. It's not something you have to pay admission for. You just walk up and look at it and wonder what the heck is going on. The works of art were designed by an artist named Jean Tinguely and I was surprised to learn learn that this was done in the 70's. The works of art in the fountain are really strange looking "perpetual motion" machines. Some look like something you would recognize, such as a mechanical torso that appears to be endlessly running, while others are just completely bizarre contraptions that spit out water in several directions. The fountain is easily accessible via public transport and it intrigued us enough to go visit the Tinguely Museum (which is not close to here).

An fixing unfixable fixture in Basel: the famous Tinguely fountain (Jean Tinguely, 1925-1991) in the Center of Basel. Constantly moving elements, seemingly unrelated and each turning and spinning, working/spitting the water at its own pace, a peaceful coexistence in an increasingly peaceless world.

A cute little fountain in a small park with a museum in it. Just off the side of a highway. The views of the river near by are quite nice and the other artwork nearby are worth taking a peak (and so is the museum).

a must see in basel. no access fee. on summer days very cool and on cold winter days frozen. the restaurant kunsthalle is beside and a great place for a rest. on summer days stay outside at the garden.