A fountain that has shed its foul history…

A special feature among Wiesbaden’s mineral springs is the Faulbrunnen fountain on Platz der Deutschen Einheit.

The Faulbrunnen is located a bit away from the Wiesbaden thermal baths. The thermal water here is mixed with ground water. It is therefore the coldest source and reaches the surface at only 18° C to 20° C.

It owes its name, which translates as the “foul well”, to the previously putrid taste of the water, which was caused by the hydrogen sulphide dissolved in it. This substance was formed by bacteria from iron sulphide, which is dissolved in the mineral water. When the well was restored in the 1960s, the shaft was clad with clay to stop the bacteria from coming into contact with the water and largely prevent the formation of foul-smelling hydrogen sulphide.

The thermal water is not suitable for drinking.