The Lorelei Fountain

Fontaine Lorelei was created by German sculptor Ernst Herter in 1896 out of Italian white marble from South Tyrol. The monument is dedicated to Heinrich Heine, German writer and dissenter of the nineteenth century, immortalizing the poet’s celebrated lyric “Die Lorelei”, the legend of a beautiful siren who lured sailors to their deaths with her song. After plans for installation in Düsseldorf failed, the fountain found its home in 1899 in Joyce Kilmer Park, The Bronx, New York City. For the past 3 years, Allegrone’s restoration scope of work included working with a conservator to access, clean, and repair the fountain; marble dutchman were installed; sculpture elements were rebuilt with repair mortars; open joints repointed and the stone consolidated and sealed.