Roland+Fountain

The Roland Fountain is the most famous fountain in Bratislava. Standing in the middle of the main square in Old Town, this fountain is one of the most favorite meeting point in downtown. It is also sometimes referred to as the Maximilian Fountain. Its construction was ordered my Maximilian II, the king of Royal Hungary, in 1572. This fountain was made to provide a public water supply. On the top of the fountain, there is a statue of Maximilian II portrayed as a knight in full armor. Its current appearance is probably far from its original look. It has been modified and rebuilt several times. Many [|legends] are centred around this fountain, mostly featuring Maximilian as the town's protector. One such legend claims that the statue comes to life on New Year's Eve at the stroke of midnight. Normally, the knight faces the town hall, but the legend says that at midnight going into the new year the knight turns and and bows in the direction of the former town hall, honoring the town councilors who gave their lives to save the city. Another legend states that he comes to life on Good Friday every year. This story says that he steps off of his pedestal and moves around in broad day light waving his sword, Durandal, in all four directions to show the town that he is still here to protect them. Don't get too excited, though, the legends claims that he can only be seen doing this by a born-and-bred citizen of Bratislava who has never harmed anyone and has a pure heart. While we're in Bratislava, see if you can catch any sudden movements from this legendary statue.