Marienbrunnen Festival: Let's save our Schwäbisch Gmünder landmark!

Marienbrunnen Festival: Let's save our Schwäbisch Gmünder landmark!

An important landmark of Schwäbisch Gmünd, the Marienbrunnen on the market square, is badly damaged and urgently needs renovation. As the Remzeitung reports, there are clear cracks on the handrail and the cast iron plates of the pool. This damage is due to a repair some 80 years ago that involved welding steel plates onto the pool, which is now causing the current problems. First mayor Christian Baron and Oliver Bundschuh from the Office for Building Management emphasize the urgency of the work, as binding iron and plates could fall out of the socket.

The estimated renovation costs are around 253,000 euros, but could be up to 300,000 euros. The state of Baden-Württemberg has already promised funding of 58,000 euros, but this leaves a funding gap. In order to combat this gap, the “donation stone campaign” was launched, in which donors of 750 euros or more can have their name immortalized on a stone in the base of the fountain.

St. Mary's Fountain Festival for a fundraising campaign

On July 26th, the Marienbrunnen Festival will take place on the market square to provide information about the renovation and to collect donations. Mayor Richard Arnold opens the festival at 10 a.m. and the group “TriTopMusik” will provide the musical entertainment. A highlight of the festival will be the tour of historic watercourses and mills in the city center at 10:30 a.m. At 11:30 a.m. there will be an important information event with Oliver Bundschuh, who will report on the damage to the Marienbrunnen.

In the following months, a public press conference will also take place on September 30th in the Baroque Room of the Gmünder town hall. Here, Mayor Arnold and First Mayor Baron will explain the measure. The renovation work is scheduled to start in autumn 2025, with completion by May 10, 2026, Mother's Day, at the latest. The renovation is supported not only by the Schwäbisch Gmünd Community Foundation, but also by sponsors and various campaigns such as a benefit concert by the Collegium Vocale choir in spring 2025.

A symbol of closeness to home

The Marienbrunnen not only has historical significance, but is also a symbol of closeness to home and the city's cultural heritage. Relevant federal funding programs for monument protection support such renovations. As the website of the Minister of State for Culture shows, these measures are intended to help preserve the cultural landscape in Germany, with medium-sized construction and craft businesses, for example, also being able to benefit from funding.

Since the application process for funding is currently not possible, it remains exciting to see how the financing and the renovation measures will develop. The city encourages all citizens to participate in fundraising efforts and preserve the city's cultural heritage. Further information and options for support are available from the Schwäbisch Gmünd Community Foundation.