# Simsonbrunnen

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{{Short description|Fountain in Bern, Switzerland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2017}}
[[Image:SimsonBrunnen01.jpg|thumb|[Samson](/source/Samson) killing a [lion](/source/Asiatic_lion).]]

The '''Simsonbrunnen''' or [Samson](/source/Samson) fountain is a fountain on the [Kramgasse](/source/Kramgasse) in the Old City of [Bern](/source/Bern), [Switzerland](/source/Switzerland). It is a Swiss [Cultural Property of National Significance](/source/Swiss_Inventory_of_Cultural_Property_of_National_and_Regional_Significance)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.babs.admin.ch/de/aufgabenbabs/kgs/inventar/a-objekte.html |title=Kantonsliste A-Objekte:Bern|year=2009|work= KGS Inventar|publisher=Federal Office of Civil Protection|language=German|accessdate=12 July 2010}}</ref> and is part of the [UNESCO](/source/UNESCO) [World Heritage Site](/source/World_Heritage_Site) of the [Old City of Bern](/source/Old_City_of_Bern).

==History==
The fountain represents the [biblical](/source/biblical) story of Samson killing a [lion](/source/Asiatic_lion) found in {{bibleverse||Judges|14:5-20|HE}}. According to the story, Samson was born to a [sterile](/source/Infertility) Israelite couple on the conditions that his mother and her child (Samson) abstain from all [alcohol](/source/Alcoholic_beverage) and that he never shave nor cut his hair. Because of his commitment to live under these conditions, Samson is granted great strength. As a young man he falls in love with a [Philistine](/source/Philistine) woman and decides to marry her. At this time, the Philistines ruled over the Israelites and Samson's decision to marry one causes great concern among his family. He calms their concerns and travels to marry his love. On the way he is attacked by the lion and with his incredible strength kills the lion. Later, he sees that [bee](/source/bee)s have built a [honeycomb](/source/honeycomb) in the lion's body. He uses this event as the basis of a riddle, which when not answered, gives him a pretext to attack the Philistines and lead an unsuccessful rebellion.

The fountain, built in 1544 by Hans Gieng, is modeled after the ''Simsonbrunnen'' in [Solothurn](/source/Solothurn).<ref name="Flüeler">{{cite book | last = Flüeler | title = Kulturführer Schweiz | publisher = Ex Libris Verlag AG | year = 1982 | location = Zurich, CH | pages = 72–73}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{commonscat-inline|Simsonbrunnen (Hans Gieng 1527)}}

{{Old City of Berne|state=uncollapsed}}

{{coord|46.947932|N|7.450406|E|region:CH-BE_type:landmark|name=Simsonbrunnen|display=title}}

Category:Fountains in Bern

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Simsonbrunnen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simsonbrunnen) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simsonbrunnen?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.