German Fountain

You walk through Parque Forestal to this monumental fountain, one of the gifts Santiago received for the Centenary of independence.

1A gift of thanks

The Chilean-German community donated it to thank the country for welcoming German immigrants, who had settled in large numbers in southern Chile from the mid-nineteenth century. It was designed by the Berlin sculptor Gustav Eberlein, in bronze and stone, and unveiled on 13 October 1912, two years after the Centenary celebrations.

2How to read the fountain

It is an allegory of Chile's progress. In the centre sails a boat carrying a young man with his arm outstretched, as if mastering the sea. Beside him is Victoria, the Roman goddess of triumph, standing for the free nation. On the sides you will see a miner, representing the effort of labour, and a Creole woman, a symbol of fortune and beauty.

At the stern, the god Mercury steers the boat away from a rock that represents the Andes. And at the back, a condor, Chile's national bird, spreads its wings.

After years of graffiti and decay, the fountain was fully restored and rededicated in October 2025.

Its name was later borrowed by a famous soda fountain on the nearby Alameda, known for decades for its lomito sandwiches.

3What to look for

• The young man with his arm outstretched at the prow.
• Mercury and the Andes rock, at the stern.
• The condor, as you walk round to the back.