Wiediker «Öpfel». A Story of a Fountain
- Mar 5
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 7
In the quiet residential area where Döltschiweg meets Höfliweg in Zurich’s Stadtkreis 3 stands a fountain that quietly encapsulates a layered local history. Brunnen mit Wiediker «Öpfel» (literally the Fountain with the Wiedikon Apple) was created by Swiss architect and artist Emil Schäfer (1878–1958). Installed in 1943, Brunnen mit Wiediker «Öpfel» appeared during the height of World War II. Although Switzerland maintained official neutrality, the conflict was a constant presence in public awareness, with rationing, border tensions, and the wider uncertainty of wartime Europe affecting daily life. In this context, the fountain offered a tangible sense of stability and continuity.
At its centre is a round basin and column of Solothurn sandstone, a material especially prized in Swiss architecture for its warm tone and durability. Rising from this base was once a painted Reichsapfel, a heraldic apple topped with a cross, representing the historic Wiedikon coat of arms. This emblem recalls the area’s medieval past. Wiedikon was once a royal estate (Reichshof), and the apple symbol tied the community to its long heritage.
The most dramatic chapter in the fountain’s history began in 1990, when the original emblem was stolen. The theft robbed the fountain of a central visual and symbolic element, and for years only the empty sandstone form remained, standing mute at the street corner. In time, however, the original artefact was recovered badly damaged by local authorities and returned, illustrating both the vulnerability of civic art and the determination of neighbourhood custodians. It was subsequently replaced with a durable replica made of brass sheet and stainless steel, materials chosen to better withstand future wear, vandalism, and the unpredictable rhythms of public space.
Emil Schäfer, although not widely known outside Zurich, left a distinct footprint on the city's sculptural heritage. Working primarily in the first half of the twentieth century, he designed several public fountains and reliefs that blend functional architecture with artistic expression, often integrating local heraldry or figuration. Brunnen mit Wiediker «Öpfel» is characteristic of his public commissions: solid in construction, rooted in local identity, and open to daily public life.
The emphasis on public art in the 1930s and 40s reflected broader municipal priorities. Zurich’s Wasserversorgung (water supply authority) and city planning bodies invested in decorative and utilitarian fountain projects across neighbourhoods, seeing them as civic amenities that enriched urban life both aesthetically and socially. Such initiatives helped ground the city’s water infrastructure in forms that residents could engage with as familiar landmarks, and Brunnen mit Wiediker «Öpfel» continued this tradition of reading fountains as more than utilitarian objects. In Zurich, where the urban fabric includes hundreds of fountains ranging from ornate Baroque installations to modern civic works, the Wiedikon fountain is a quieter but no less meaningful conversation partner in this visual landscape.
Today, the fountain and its apple emblem invite a pause for reflection, harmonizing with the soft rhythms of the residential streets. Its presence today, made meaningful through a turbulent history, embodies community care, resilience, and the enduring life of the neighbourhood.
Text by Jonas Spielman
Address:
Döltschi / Höfliweg, near Döltschiweg 3
8050 Zurich
Switzerland
Commissioned by:
City of Zurich, Office for Civil Buildings / Civic Art Program
