In short
Designed by artists Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint Phalle, the Stravinsky Fountain evokes the great compositions of musician Igor Stravinsky through sixteen moving mechanical sculptures. Its whimsical, colorful figures rotate, spray arcs of water, and produce unusual sounds, creating a unique and exuberant visual spectacle.
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Era: inaugurated in 1983
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Architecture: rectangular pool at ground level
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Main sculptor: Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely
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Best time: the afternoon, to observe the bright reflections of the sun on the sculptures
☰ Table of Contents
The ideal stop
Combine it with a visit to the nearby Centre Pompidou Museum of Modern Art .
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Recommended parking time 20'
Twenty minutes is perfect to see all the mechanisms in action and take fun photos.
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The local rite
Order a takeaway coffee from one of the cafés in the square and sit on the long concrete edge of the pool.
What to see at the Stravinsky Fountain
Explore the sixteen moving elements distributed across the large water surface to grasp the irony and profound musical references contained in each piece of art.
The Firebird Focal Point
Admire the sculpture in the center of the pool, a majestic and colorful winged figure spraying rotating jets of water.
Tinguely's Black Mechanisms
Observe the dark iron structures rotating on themselves, creating metallic sounds and asymmetrical geometric movements.
The Red Lips
Let yourself be struck by the large pop sculpture in the shape of a scarlet mouth that spits water in an intermittent and playful manner.
The Violin Clef
Find the black metal element that gently rotates on itself, an explicit visual homage to Stravinsky's musical writing.
The Snake and the Frog
Discover the fun animal figures in bright, fluorescent colors that float and sway with the internal currents.
Visit to the Stravinsky Fountain
Follow these quick urban tips to make the most of this outdoor kinetic installation, integrating the stop into your itinerary in the Marais district.
Best moment
Around four o'clock, when the square fills with street artists and the light enhances the shiny paints.
Crowding
Very high on the sides of the pool, especially on weekend afternoons.
Suitable for children
Yes, the whimsical movements and colorful shapes of sea monsters fascinate them greatly.
What not to miss
The strong visual contrast between the modern sculptures and the ancient Gothic façade of the church behind.
Type of experience
Cheerful, loud, unconventional and full of contemporary visual stimuli.
What to expect
Children playing in the splashes, tourists sitting on the edge, and the metallic sound of gears.
How to visit the Stravinsky Fountain
The fountain occupies the center of Place Stravinsky. You can walk around the entire rectangularmetro of the basin to observe the sculptures from every angle, paying attention to the different rhythms and cycles of movement of each piece.
Need to know
- The fountain stands above the underground laboratories of IRCAM, the famous music research institute.
- Jean Tinguely created the black machines, while his wife Niki de Saint Phalle created the colored figures.
- The floor of the tank was built in lightweight resin so as not to overload the roof of the laboratories below.
- Each of the sixteen works directly recalls a piece or theme dear to Igor Stravinsky.
Practical advice
- Be careful with your camera: some sudden splashes driven by the wind can reach the edge of the pool.
- Visit the square in the evening to admire the large street art mural entitled Chuuuttt!!! located on the adjacent wall.
- Do not throw coins into the water to avoid jamming the delicate gears of the underwater motors.
- Take advantage of the area's complete pedestrianization to move around safely if you're traveling with small children.
How to get to the Stravinsky Fountain
The monument is located between the Pompidou Centre and the Church of Saint-Merri, in the fourth arrondissement.
Line 11 stops at the nearby Rambuteau station, lines 1, 4, 7 and 14 at Châtelet.
The Châtelet - Les Halles (RER A, B, D) is a five-minute walk away.
Lines 29, 38, 47, and 75 make convenient stops along the perimeter boulevards.
Walk along Rue Saint-Martin from the Seine in a northerly direction.
Rue Brisemiche, 75004
Official Transport Paris
- Paris Metro Map
- RER tickets and fares
- Taxis in Paris (numbers and alternatives)
History of the Stravinsky Fountain
In 1977, the inauguration of the Centre Pompidou radically transformed the old Beaubourg neighborhood, creating a large modern esplanade. Immediately adjacent to the museum was an empty square, beneath which the musician Pierre Boulez had founded IRCAM, a cutting-edge center for the study of music and acoustics. To decorate the surface of this underground space and drown out the noise of the underground ventilation systems, the City of Paris decided to commission the construction of a monumental public fountain.
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The commission was entrusted to Swiss sculptor Jean Tinguely, renowned for his ironic kinetic machines made from scrap metal. Tinguely immediately understood that the severity of the black iron would require a strong visual contrast to engage with the colorful architecture of the Pompidou Center. He thus involved his wife, the French-American artist Niki de Saint Phalle, in the project. She is renowned for her monumental polyester sculptures with rounded forms and bright, vibrant pop colors.
The two artists decided to dedicate the entire work to the Russian composer Igor Stravinsky, who had spent a long time in Paris composing groundbreaking masterpieces. Working side by side, they designed sixteen sculptures capable of moving thanks to hidden electric motors, spraying water at different rhythms to evoke the maestro's defiance of traditional musical rules. The construction site proved to be a complex engineering challenge due to the weight restrictions imposed by the ceiling of the laboratories below.
The "Fontaine Stravinsky" was officially inaugurated in 1983, immediately gaining popular acclaim and becoming one of the symbols of contemporary Paris. Over the decades, the corrosive action of limestone and water severely damaged the complex mechanical mechanisms. In 2022, the City Council began a complete restoration that lasted a year and a half, dismantling every single sculpture to renew the motors, restore the paintwork, and restore the square's historic, noisy water features.
Curiosities about the Stravinsky Fountain
Extravagant details and little secrets hidden among the moving gears of the Beaubourg basin.
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The Sound of a Kiss: The famous red lips sculpture is equipped with an internal hydraulic mechanism that, when the water pressure reaches maximum, produces a dry sound reminiscent of a loud kiss.
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An eco-friendly restoration: during the final works in 2023, technicians installed a fully automated water recirculation system that allows for ninety percent water savings compared to the original system from the 1980s.
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The dancing sculptures: the movements of Tinguely's machines are not random; the wheels and mechanical arms have been balanced to oscillate following the tempos and pauses of the famous composition The Rite of Spring.
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The signature on the wall: the enormous man's face making the sign of silence on the wall of the square, painted by the street artist Jef Aérosol, was born as an ironic invitation to counteract the continuous and chaotic roar of the fountain.
Tickets and tours nearby
Find accommodation near the Stravinsky Fountain
Located in the heart of the Marais district, the fountain is surrounded by numerous accommodations. For a complete comparison of where to stay in the Marais, we refer you to our guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do some sculptures spin quickly and others remain still for a long time?
The internal electric motors are regulated by electronic timers that alternate the movements, recreating the asymmetrical rhythms typical of Stravinsky's musical compositions.
Are the colored statues made of painted metal?
No, Niki de Saint Phalle's colorful figures are made of polyester and lightweight fiberglass , materials perfect for floating and not weighing down the seabed.
What happens to mechanical sculptures if the power goes out?
The motors instantly stop and the figures remain immobile in the tank, transforming into traditional static statues until the system is restored.
Can you hear Stravinsky's music being broadcast from loudspeakers in the square?
No, there is no recorded music; the fountain plays music through the roar of the jets, the creaking of the iron and the metallic sounds of the machines.
Can you walk inside the tub to touch the mechanisms?
No, access to the water is prohibited both for safety reasons related to the electrical cables on the bottom and to protect the integrity of the works.
Can the music labs below hear the sound of water?
No, the ceiling of the underground structure has been insulated with thick layers of sound-absorbing materials that block any acoustic vibrations from above.
Does the fountain work even during strong Parisian winds?
In case of strong gusts, the highest water jets are automatically reduced by anemometric sensors to avoid wetting passers-by.
Which sculpture represents the famous Firebird ballet?
It is the largest and most spectacular figure placed in the centre, painted with bright red, yellow and blue patterns, which dominates the entire installation.
