As I walked towards the city from ‘s-Hertogenbosch train station, I was greeted by an impressive gilded dragon fountain located a stone throw away. It was in the middle of a very busy intersection of Stationsweg and Koninginnenlaan. Naturally, I had to google and find out.
According to my research, the fountain was built in 1903 as drinking fountain, but never fulfilled its function. And there are two different stories about this fountain.
First Story
When Paulus Jan Bosch of Drakestein, the commissioner of the King in the province of Noord-Brabant died in 1894, he left a legacy of 10,000 guilders to the municipality of ‘s-Hertogenbosch to build a memorial for his twin daughters and wife. The twins died tragically at the age of sixteen in November 1881 one after the other while his wife died three years later. The name Drakestein of the governor translates from Dutch (“draak”) means dragon in English.
Second Story
During the Eighty Years’ War, ‘s-Hertogenbosch was nicknamed the ‘Moerasdraak’ or ‘Swamp Dragon’ in English. The name was given to the city because it was considered impregnable fortress due to its location near a marsh. Its erected fortification walls, bastions and surrounding swampy environment made it difficult for the attacking opposition to conquer the city. This fountain was said to represent ‘s-Hertogenbosch’s such history.
What do you reckon?
I Becoming Dutch 
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