The Fountain of Wisdom (German: Brunnen der Weisheit) is located at the square in front of the town hall of Thale, a picturesque town in Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany.
Wotan/Odin drinks from the Fountain of Wisdom, which grants him the ability to foresee the fate of the gods. However, in order to gain this sight, he must sacrifice one of his eyes. Wotan is dressed as the Romantic Germans imagined him: wearing a feathered helmet on his head, carrying a Germanic short sword called “Sax” at his side, and holding the famous spear in his hand. His cloak is adorned with stars, symbolizing the heavens, where the gods have their seat.
The plaque at the fountain briefly describes the story as follows: “Wotan, the supreme god of the Germanic people, drinks from the Fountain of Wisdom located near the World Ash Tree. In doing so, he loses one eye and gains the ability to see into the future. His two ravens, Hugin and Munin, daily explore the events of the world on their flights. The wind dwarfs Nordi, Austri, Sudri, and Westri indicate the cardinal directions.”
The fountain was designed by the Quedlinburg artist Jochen Müller and installed in the year 2004.
