Ostarrichislam - Yunus Emre Fountain
Catalogue: Ostarrichislam – Fragmente achthundertjähriger gemeinsamer Geschichte. Amena Shakir / Gernot Galib Stanfel / Martin M. Weinberger 2012
Vienna: Al Hamra.
A fountain in Ottoman style given to the Austrians as a gift in 1991, donated by the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey. It is located in Türkenschanzpark in the 18th district in Vienna. In the past the area had been open country were a sconce (in German: Schanze) is recorded to have been erected as protection against the Turks in 1683 but in line with other reports probably already in 1529 when the Ottoman army first attempted to conquer Vienna.
In 1883 the project of a park was first discussed and readily accepted and in 1888 the Park was opened to the public by Emperor Francis Joseph and called: “Türkenschanzpark”.
The fountain was presented to the city of Vienna in order to honour Yunus Emre, a 14th century Turkish poet. It is decorated with inscriptions glorifying the uniting power of love and making the fountain a symbol of unity for those confronted in the past.
