Fountains have been an architectural element in gardens, squares and city centers throughout history. They decorate and highlight the beauty of the structures, and are a tourist attraction in themselves, as they make for beautiful photographs. Let's take a look at the list of the 10 most expensive fountains in the world!
1. Buckingham Fountain. $750,000
Buckingham Fountain is a major landmark located in Chicago, USA. It was opened in 1927 and cost $1,400,000 to build. Moreover, it is one of the largest fountains in the world and inspired the Latona Fountain in Paris. It is built in the Rococo style (similar to a wedding cake) and is made of pink marble from Georgia. Buckingham Fountain is also famous for its large volume of water and is known for its light shows. Notably, the four seahorse sculptures symbolize the four states that surround Lake Michigan: Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois.
2. Light and music fountain Roshen. $ 1.5 million.
The next fountain on the list of the top 10 most expensive fountains is located in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, and is also considered the largest fountain in Europe. The Roshen Multimedia Fountain is an impressive project, with a total cost of $ 1.5 million. It was opened in 2011 and the light and music water shows with the help of special effects, lasers and 3D projectors create a gorgeous spectacle on the water. Some of the repertoire includes: “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, “The Nutcracker” by P. Tchaikovsky and “The Four Seasons: Summer” by Antonio Vivaldi. To create fountains of this scale, certain difficult geographical conditions are needed, but the bend of the Bug River was well suited for such a project. In winter, this fountain goes completely under water.
3. Fountain of Wealth. $6 million.
The Fountain of Wealth, in addition to being one of the most expensive fountains in the world, is also one of the most popular structures of this type. It is located in the city of Singapore, which was recorded in 1998 in the Guinness Book of Records, the largest fountain in the world, after all. In addition, it is estimated that in 1995 the construction cost was $ 6 million. The fountain occupies an area of about 1,700 square meters and is almost 14 meters high. But the most amazing thing is that the water jet exceeds 30 meters in height! If you go to Singapore, you need to walk 3 times around the fountain, touching the water and Fortune will smile on you.
4. Geneva Fountain. $ 800,000 per year
The Geneva Fountain is one of the tallest fountains in the world located in Geneva, Switzerland. Although the cost of its construction is unknown, due to the fact that it was opened in 1891, it is already known that its annual maintenance cost is $ 800,000. So this is the reason to get into the list of the 10 most expensive fountains in the world. The Geneva Fountain is a symbol of the city. Five hundred liters of lake water per second fly to a height of 140 meters at a speed of 200 kilometers per hour.
5. King Fahd's Fountain. $ Price unknown
The King Fahd Fountain is a fountain located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Like the Geneva fountain, the cost of building this fountain, which opened in 1985, is unknown. However, being the tallest fountain of its kind in the world, its annual maintenance cost is believed to be among the highest in the world. The fountain's maximum jet of water is estimated to be either 260 meters or 312 meters above the Red Sea, according to various sources.
6. Archibald Fountain. $ Price unknown
The next representative of the top 10 most expensive fountains list is located in Sydney, and it is the Archibald Fountain. The cost of construction of the structure, which was opened in 1932, is unknown, however, it is considered the best public fountain in Australia. It is assumed that its annual maintenance cost gives it the right to be listed as one of the most expensive fountains in the world.
7. Bellagio Fountain. $ 40 million.
The Bellagio Fountain is the best free show in Las Vegas, USA. The director's production of light and music on the water gives a stunning effect. The construction of this beauty cost $ 40 million, and since its opening in 1998, it has become a great place for weddings in Las Vegas, because the photos against its background are beautiful! In addition, the action takes place in front of the Bellagio Hotel and includes 30 songs. Here are some of them: "Time to Say Goodbye" performed by Andrea Bocelli, "God Bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood, "Viva Las Vegas" by Elvis Presley, "My Heart Will Live On" by Celine Dion and "The Sound of Silence" by Disturbed.
8. Dubai Fountain. $ 218 million.
The next amazing fountain on this list of the top 10 most expensive fountains is located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Dubai Fountain is one of the most important tourist attractions in the city, and its construction cost $ 218 million! It is located on the man-made Burj Khalifa Lake, in the center of Dubai. This fountain is the tallest in the world, delighting hundreds of visitors every day with a fascinating non-stop dance, music and light show.
9. The Great Cascade Fountain in Peterhof. $ Price unknown
The Grand Cascade Fountain is located at the foot of the central part of the Grand Palace of Peterhof, Russia. It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and majestic royal palaces in the world, welcoming with its luxury and grandeur, characteristic of the Russian Empire. The most famous fountain near the palace is a large cascade, built with golden sculptures, through which the water flows down. The Grand Cascade has three waterfall staircases, two grottoes, 75 fountains and is decorated with 255 bronze sculptures and 29 bas-reliefs on themes from ancient mythology. The decor of the Grand Cascade uses many sculptural forms - statues, bas-reliefs, brackets, mascarons, busts, vases, herms. The length of its facade is 42 meters. Although the price of the creation is unknown, since the construction of the palace and its gardens was completed in 1721, according to preliminary estimates, the luxury and tourist character that defines the fountain, it is one of the most expensive fountains in the world, and its annual maintenance is also expensive.
10. Rainbow Fountain Bridge. $ 20 billion.
The final representative of this list of the 10 most expensive fountains in the world can proudly be declared the wonderful bridge "Rainbow Fountain" or "Rainbow under the moonlight". This magnificent fountain is located in Seoul and is the longest fountain in the world in the form of a bridge. It has set a Guinness World Record due to almost 10,000 LED lights! In addition, it is almost 1,140 m long, and the pumps pump almost 190 tons of water per minute directly from the river without stopping. The cost of construction was approximately $ 20 million.
