The Ortmans fountain (a must-see in Verviers)

The Ortmans fountain dates from 1893 and is the work of Clément Vivroux. Its dimensions, 15 by 13 metres, make it the largest wall fountain in the Province of Liege. It is located at the foot of the street of the same name, opened in 1885, the year of the death of Mayor Ortmans. 

Jean-François Ortmans, an industrialist specialising in dyeing, was mayor of Verviers from 1855 to 1885. His name is linked to the construction of the Gileppe dam and to the creation of the industrial and domestic water supply in our city, one of the first in Belgium. The tribute and thanks of the town and the population are expressed through this monument. 

Two commemorative slabs, on either side of the bust of the mayor, remind us of this.  

On the pediment, the city of Verviers, represented by a lady, stands next to a lion, symbol of strength. The lady holds a piece of cloth in her right hand, evoking the city's textile industry. Several elements recall water: sculpted shells, the amphorae on either side and the ashlar base, interrupted by sculpted bands imitating water curtains. 

The bust of Jean-François Ortmans is set in a shell-shaped alcove and the whole is surrounded by two pairs of columns.