La Fontaine Place Ducal - Charleville-Mézières

The monumental fountain, designed in 1626 by Guillaume Tabaguet from Dinant, was restored in 1685, 1706, 1715 and 1844 and demolished in 1899 to be replaced by another monumental building topped by a statue of Charles de Gonzague.

In Charleville, the fountain on the Place Ducale was protected in the 16th century by a wooden fence with turnstiles that prevented animals from drinking from it , in accordance with the rules imposed at the time to prevent epidemics. They also prohibited butchers from washing tripe, housewives from washing clothes and cleaning buckets that were not used to carry water, etc.

The 19th century fountain was moved in 1999 and installed at the entrance to the rue Bérégovoy, which follows the rue de la République from the Place Ducale.

The building that now adorns the centre of the square was partly inspired by the 1626 fountain , fragments of which are preserved in the municipal museums.

Willem Vandenameele