The Peace Fountain at Cathedral of St. John the Divine
A curious fountain that has no water and includes Satan, a crab, and 9 giraffes
Category Unusual Monuments, Strange Statues, Peculiar Fountains, Architectural Oddities, Curious Places of Worship, Outsider Architecture
Although originally built to be a fountain, this structure has no running water on site currently. Located next to the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine (the largest cathedral in the world, though unfinished), the Peace Fountain was built in 1985 by Greg Wyatt to depict the struggle of good and evil, shown by the archangel Michael vanquishing Satan.
This bronze public art work is continually met with both praise and criticism. The odd mix of modern scientific findings, such as the double helix at the fountain's base, old testament biblical depictions, exotic animals, and the decapitated head of Satan, gives quite a shock to the viewer.
Circling the fountain are a series of smaller bronze statues molded by children. These range in depiction from famous icons, such as Einstein, Socrates, and Gandhi, to odd mythical beasts and demons. There also happens to be a white peacock that wanders around the fountain who lives in the garden of the church.
A plaque at the base of the fountain offers insight to the puzzling and strange choices used in this work:
Peace Fountain celebrates the triumph of Good over Evil, and sets before us the world's opposing forces—violence and harmony, light and darkness, life and death—which God reconciles in his peace.
When the fountain operates, four courses of water cascade down the freedom pedestal into a maelstrom evoking the primordial chaos of Earth. Foursquare around the base, flames of freedom rise in witness to the future. Ascending from the pool, the freedom pedestal is shaped like the double helix of DNA, the key molecule of life. Atop the pedestal a giant crab reminds us of life's origins in sea and struggle. Facing West, a somnolent Moon reflects tranquility from a joyous Sun smiling to the East. The swirls encircling the heavenly bodies bespeak the larger movements of the cosmos with which earthly life is continuous.
Nine giraffes—among the most peaceable of animals—nestle and prance about the center. One rests its head on the bosom of the winged Archangel Michael, described in the bible as the leader of the heavenly host against the forces of Evil. St. Michael's sword is vanquishing his chief opponent, Satan, whose decapitated figure plunges into the depths, his head dangling beneath the crab's claw. Tucked away next to the Sun, a lion and lamb relax together in the peace of God's kingdom, as foretold by the prophet Isaiah.
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- Hours This fountain is located right off the sidewalk and is not gated in any way. The public can view it at any time, day or nigh, for free.
- Website Cathedral of St. John the Divine: the church that owns the fountain
- Address 1047 Amsterdam Avenue New York, New York, 10024, United States
- Cost Free
Comments
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Anonymous
August 24, 2009
I lived right across the street from this fountain for eleven years, and I loved it! The strangeness of it definitely captures the imagination. It is not, however, universally admired; a friend of my father's used to say, "I don't know what it is, but it ain't good art and it sure ain't Christian." -
Anonymous
August 19, 2009
THE PEACE FOUNTAIN AT ST. JOHN THE DIVINE IN NEW YORK IS BREATH TAKING. I HAVE BEEN IN A CLASS STUDYING THE BOOK OF REVELATION IN THE BIBLE,ALL THAT YOU SEE IN THE SCULPTURE HAS ALREADY BEEN EXPLAINED TO US.ALL THAT WE HAVE TO DO IS APPRECIATE THIS PIECE OF ART, AND THANK THE ARTIST THAT CREATED IT FOR US TO SEE.
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Anonymous
July 13, 2009
I am a bit conflicted about this one, and the Cathedral as a whole. I am an Episcopalian, so on my first trip to NYC, I had to go by and take a look. The statue is huge, and is quite ugly. But, it is intriguing. The Cathedral has loads of other strange objects. Such as a giant geode and a giant table, the Peace Altar, made out of huge slab of redwood. Also, huge tapestries. The Cathedral appears to be cluttered-up like an attic with no rhyme or reason to the objects. But, it is a fascinating place to explore.
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Anonymous
July 13, 2009
Oh, wow! That definitely sounds like my kind of tourist attraction. It's right beside the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine too! Hopefully, someday, I can. :D
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Anonymous
July 12, 2009
When I went on a school field trip from Roanoke, VA to NYC we visited the church and unloaded from the bus RIGHT beside this statue- and not a single student paid any attention to the thing. I found it fascinating but everyone had run off so quickly I, needing to catch up, didn't have a chance to investigate as I'd wanted :[
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