Maschseefontäne

The Maschseefontäne stands in the middle of the Maschsee, a large artificial lake in the centre of Hannover. The lake itself was completed in 1936 after six years of construction, and the fountain was added fifty years later in 1986. It rises 10 to 17 metres above the water and is made up of one main jet surrounded by four smaller ones. The city’s building department owns the structure, while the city works company enercity looks after its running costs. The fountain began as a temporary gift from the city’s utility provider on the lake’s fiftieth birthday. Erich Deppe, then chairman of the city works, and Harald Böhlmann, head of the cultural office, switched it on during the opening of the Maschseetage festival. After strong public approval it was rebuilt in 1987 and kept permanently. The pump pushes 85 000 litres of water an hour through a galvanised steel frame anchored to the lake bed. In winter the whole assembly is covered with a metal hood to guard against ice damage. Visitors find the fountain best seen from the north shore, where a small pavilion houses the power supply. The jets are lit in the evenings from spring to autumn in the colours of enercity, the local energy company. The lighting was changed to LEDs in 2020, cutting electricity use by more than eighty per cent. Maintenance and power are paid for by enercity as part of a sponsorship agreement. The lake itself offers a flat path for walking or cycling all the way round, with cafés and boat hire along the banks.