The repair of the Singing Fountain is overseen by its author Pavel Mikšík

Mariánské Lázně - The unique Singing Fountain in Mariánské Lázně was visited today by its author, Slovak architect Pavel Mikšík, who designed it between 1976 and 1986. The fountain is currently undergoing the most extensive reconstruction since its inception. According to information from ČTK from the mayor of Mariánské Lázně, Martin Hurajčík (ANO), it has been completely out of operation since August this year and will remain so until the end of April 2025. The repairs to the dominant feature of Mariánské Lázně will cost the city approximately 50 million crowns. After the reconstruction, it should operate even in the winter period.

"The fountain will look the same after the repairs; neither its functionality nor appearance will change, but new elements and functions should be added, which we will reveal only at the end of April, when it will be returned to operation as usual after the reconstruction. According to my idea, architect Pavel Mikšík incorporated new features into the project," described the mayor the repairs and plans. "I understand that many institutions will be involved in the reconstruction; the fountain is one of the most vulnerable artworks I know. We will have to respect all of this and adapt materially, structurally, and artistically so that this kinetic artwork in colors close to water, which will enliven the space even in winter, is preserved," said the eighty-one-year-old Slovak architect. Thus, the operation of the fountain will be year-round, which, according to the mayor, does not mean that it will operate in winter in the same way as visitors are accustomed to in summer.

"Fantastic, I never believed in my life that in such a space, where there is also a sound-reflective surface, a sonically fantastic concert work could be created. I am glad that the fountain has survived for so many years in such beauty," expressed architect Mikšík his feelings about the nearly forty-year history of the Singing Fountain and praised the care it has received. The most important aspect for him in designing it was, he said, to achieve harmony with the surroundings, to penetrate into the mood of the environment, and to capture the essence of the traditional spa town at the time the project was created while ensuring that the fountain remains timeless. "There was socialism, money was a problem; we bought an American tape recorder and Japanese speakers and managed to bring it to life thanks to the enthusiasm of our collaborators, that was the soul of this realization," he reminisced.

The fountain was built in Mariánské Lázně during the reconstruction of the promenade from 1982 to 1986. The characteristic attraction of the spa colonnade, with an eighteen-meter main basin, has been owned by the city since its inception. It has ten spraying systems with several hundred nozzles, with the central, highest spray reaching a height of six meters. Until 2012, the operation of the fountain was managed by the Healing Spa Mariánské Lázně, after which the city took over its administration. The operation of the fountain is controlled by a computer that creates various spraying combinations, including colored lighting supplemented with about 20 musical compositions. The technical facilities are located underground below the fountain, consisting of a machine room with ten 70-kilowatt pumps, a storage tank with a volume of 25,000 liters of water, and an electrical substation. The control room with the computer is located within the colonnade area.

The reconstruction began during the summer part of the spa season, when the company worked underground and there was only a material storage facility next to the fountain. Operations were completely suspended at the end of August. According to Hurajčík, the fountain was already in almost emergency condition and was functioning only thanks to the diligent care of Petr Matějka, who had been taking care of it for several years.

The underground work includes the replacement of more than two kilometers of piping, many pumps, and significant modernization of the electronics. In the above-ground part of the fountain, the specialized company will clean the basin, clean the surface, and add new nozzles. It will install more economical sound systems, lighting, and create a new access to the fountain's machine room.