Fontaine Saint-Sulpice

Fontaine Saint-Sulpice (1843–48)

The Fontaine Saint-Sulpice (also known as the Fontaine de la place Saint-Sulpice or as the Fontaine des Orateurs-Sacrés) is a monumental fountain located in Place Saint-Sulpice in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. It was constructed between 1843 and 1848 by the architect Louis Visconti, who also designed the tomb of Napoleon.

The four figures on the fountain represent four French religious figures of the 17th century famous for their eloquence.

In French the fountain is also called "La Fontaine des quatre points cardinaux", a pun which means the "Fountain of the four points of the compass" or, in the form "La Fontaine des quatre point cardinaux", which is pronounced in the same way) "Fountain of the four not cardinals". This name is also a pun, because "points cardinaux" in French is a play on words. The four bishops portrayed in the statues, while renowned, were never elevated to the rank of cardinal.