11 fountains in the eleven Frisian cities
The Elfstedentocht reinvented. That is 11Fountains. Eleven internationally renowned artists decorated the eleven cultural-historical cities of Friesland with unique waterworks in 2018. Mist, ice, steam, seawater... Each city has its own story. See the eleven fountains yourself during your Elfstedentocht. Perfectly possible without ice.
Just like the old lime tree in the village used to be, the 11 fountains each form a central meeting place in 'their' city. They symbolize the strong sense of community in Friesland, of mienskip as the Frisians themselves say.
The fountains would never have come about without the enthusiastic support and involvement of this mienskip, represented in each city by a so-called Fountain Committee. These committees suggested possible locations, met the artist chosen for their city and informed him or her about the local history, provided public presentations and helped assess the design. Never before has such broad support been created for a complex and ambitious art project.
The Bat in Bolsward, bronze 3.3 m high and 2.4 m wide, is located on the Broereplein. The facade of the burnt-down Broerekerk was the inspiration for the Belgian artist Johan Creten.
In the summer, this fountain can be admired in all its glory