Fifth Avenue at 59th Street

I love fountains. They bring me a feeling of tranquility, admiration and peace when the sound of the water is heard. Fountains are found all over the world. In the past, they provided access to drinking water in large cities and today they are often decorative and/or commemorative.

The work in front of the Plaza Hotel was commissioned following a will request from the late Joseph (József) Pulitzer (1847-1911). The Hungarian immigrant led his life with determination, creativity and perseverance. He valued a lucrative career in New York tabloid newspapers in addition to being involved at the political level. The trilingual did not even speak English when he arrived in the United States. He has built his reputation over time in different American states. The University of Columbus awards annually the Pulitzer Prize to the best creators of written content (journalists, writers, composers or musicals) in his honor. We then understand his commitment and enthusiasm for the literary and emerging arts.

The fountain occupies a large space but, despite everything, can go unnoticed. Indeed, surrounded by mature trees the bronze statue stands out little. The lighting gives more emphasis on the five floors below and the pedestal on which the statue stands in the evening.

The goddess of abundance, Pomona, stands 22 feet tall in the southeast corner of Grand Army Plaza near the entrance to Central Park. Very lightly dressed, she is presented sporting a profitable fruit picking on her arms. The fountain was inaugurated in May 1916 without much ceremony.

The plans for the fountain and its positioning in the square were designed by architect Thomas Hastings and the sculpture was designed by Karl Bitter but Isodore Konti completed the work from the molds after the original creator, Mr. Bitter, who died suddenly from a car accident.

Admire it all in front of the Plaza Hotel, an emblematic location used for the filming of, among others, Home Alone 2.

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