The first fountain on the Long Market was built by the residents of Gdańsk in 1549. This modest structure was replaced with a new, grander, one several dozen years later. The appropriate resolution of the City Council was passed in 1606, and the project was designed by Abraham van den Blocke, who proceeded to cut the pool, core and bowl, as well as the pedestal for Neptune. The work on the creation and casting of the statue of the God of the Seas lasted between the years 1612 and 1615. The plan to complete the fountain was abandoned due to the expansion of the Artus Manor and subsequent war with Sweden.
Thanks to the efforts of Mayor Bartłomiej Schachmann, the symbol of the link between Gdańsk and the sea was erected on the Long Market in 1633. The iron bars with the Gdańsk coats of arms and Polish eagles were added one year later. During following years, the fountain was neglected once again, which forced the sculptors to perform extensive renovations of the structure.
During World War II, the fountain was partially damaged. The core carrying the bowl with Neptune disappeared and the entire water device was deconstructed and stored in various locations. After the war, the fountain was reconstructed and activated once again in 1954.
With time, the Neptune Fountain became the symbol of Gdańsk. Its replica was placed in the Mini-Europe Park in Brussels. It is also the favourite place for tourists to take photographs.
According to one of Gdańsk’s legends, it was Neptune who created the famous Gdańsk Goldwasser liquor, Outraged at the coins cast into the fountain, he hit the water with his trident and shattered the gold into fine flakes, the shine of which has since decorated the wonderful herbal liquor.
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