It cost more than two million euros, financed by taxpayers’ money. The new “Wierwasser” fountain in Vienna – also known as the “Quasimodo” fountain – was criticized from the beginning on the Internet and on the eXXpress forum. Among other things in the forum, it said, “The city really doesn’t need such an ugly fountain.” Now it has become the victim of vandalism for the second time: After it was stained last week, previously unknown criminals poured dishwashing liquid into the fountain – and turned it into a bubble bath.
The city of Vienna takes the attack with humor. The fountain will have to take a winter break anyway. “For this it is cleaned and emptied. Thank you for your support, but we can do better,” says the Austrian capital’s X account.
Just seven days after the formal inauguration of the fountain by Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPO) and Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, the fountain had already been painted by sprayers – or “beautified”, as it is called online. The city filed a complaint.
Before the opening, no one was worried about it: good art would not be destroyed, he told “Press”.