Archibald Fountain (Sydney)

 monument, tourism, amusement ride, water, fountain, public toilet

The Archibald Fountain, widely regarded as the finest public fountain in Australia, is located in Hyde Park, in central Sydney, New South Wales. J F Archibald, owner and editor of The Bulletin magazine, bequeathed funds to have it built. Archibald specified that it must be designed by a French artist, both because of his great love of French culture and to commemorate the association of Australia and France in First World War. The artist chosen was Francois Sicard.

The fountain was unveiled on the 14th of March 1932 by the Lord Mayor of Sydney, Samuel Walder, and it depicts Apollo, representing beauty and the arts, on a central column holding out his right arm as a sign of protection over all nature. On the three plinths radiating from the central column there are figures representing Diana, the goddess of purity, a group representing the good things of the earth and the last is Theseus slaying a Minotaur, representing the sacrifice for the good of humanity.