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The Jet d'Eau ({{#invoke:IPA|main}}, Water-Jet) is a large fountain in Geneva, Switzerland and is one of the city's most famous landmarks, being featured on the city's official tourism web site and on the official logo for Geneva's hosting of group stage matches at UEFA Euro 2008.<ref>Genève Tourisme - Geneva - Genf - Ginevra - Ginebra</refge.ch/_img/documents/pdf/corporate/patrimoine/SIG_Depliant_jet%20d%27eau.pdf SIG Brochure "Jet d'eau", p1 - "La Course des Jets d'eau" ("The water fountain competition")(French)]</ref> Situated where Lake Geneva exits as the Rhône, it is visible throughout the city and from the air, even when flying over Geneva at an altitude of Template:Convert.
Template:Convert of water per second are jetted to an altitude of Template:Convert by two 500 kW pumps, operating at 2,400 V, consuming one megawatt of electricity and costing 510,000 CHF per year.<ref>Genève Tourisme - Découvrir Genève - Jet d'eau</ref><ref>Ville de Genève - Site officiel - Jet d'eau et Jardin anglais Template:Webarchive</ref><ref name="switzerlandisyours">Geneva Jet d’Eau fountain Switzerland</ref> The water leaves the Template:Convert nozzle at a speed of Template:Convert. At any given moment, there are about Template:Convert of water in the air. Unsuspecting visitors to the fountain—which can be reached via a stone jetty from the left bank of the lake—may be surprised to find themselves drenched after a slight change in wind direction.
HistoryEdit
The first Jet d'Eau was installed in 1886 at the Usine de la Coulouvrenière, a little further downstream from its present location.<ref name="switzerlandisyours" /> It was used as a safety valve for a hydraulic power network and could reach a height of about Template:Convert. In 1891, its aesthetic value was recognised and it was moved to its present location to celebrate the Federal Gymnastics Festival and the 600th anniversary of the Swiss Confederation, when it was operated for the first time. Its maximum height was about Template:Convert. The present Jet d'Eau was installed in 1951 in a partially submerged pumping station to pump lake water instead of city water.<ref name="sig-patrimoine">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Since 2003, the fountain has operated during the day all year round, except in case of frost or particularly strong wind.<ref name="switzerlandisyours" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It also operates in the evenings between spring and autumn, when it is lit by a set of 21 lights consuming 9 kW.<ref name="sig-patrimoine"/>
On 25 August 2016, the fountain celebrated its 125th anniversary at its present location. Between 30 March and 11 June 2020, the jet was shut off while the city was under public health measures due to COVID-19.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The Jet d'Eau featured in the titles and cut scenes of the late 1960s British television series The Champions.
ImagesEdit
- ETH-BIB-Genf = Genève, Salève, Mont Blanc aus 300 m-Inlandflüge-LBS MH01-007927.tif
Aerial view in 1937, before the contemporary Jet d'Eau, photographed by Walter Mittelholzer
- ETH-BIB-Genf- Genève-LBS H1-017794.tif
Aerial view in 1954
- JetdEau-avi.jpg
Jet d'Eau with blue light in 2007
- Jet d'eau Geneva.jpg
In 2019 with rainbow effect
- Le jet d-eau de Genève.jpg
Aerial view in 2020
See alsoEdit
- Captain James Cook Memorial, similar water jet fountain in Canberra, Australia