Floating Fountains on the Nowa Huta Reservoir
Kraków Fountains
Floating fountains, Bieńczyce district. The fountains float on the water of the Nowa Huta Reservoir; according to OpenStreetMap they are lit, interactive and automated, and the control console stands at the south-western end of the lake. It is best to go there, because the fountains themselves stand on the water. The reservoir and the surrounding park opened in 1957 as a recreation site for Nowa Huta. They were built in the green buffer zone separating the steelworks from the housing estates, and the lake itself covers more than 7 hectares.
History
Fountains with coloured lighting float on the water of the Nowa Huta Lagoon. They are not just decorative: they aerate the water, so less silt builds up on the bottom, organic sediment breaks down faster, the water is clearer and blue-green algae find it harder to grow. During the day the water moves in time with music, and after sunset light is added, programmed according to a solar clock, so it only works after dark. The lagoon and the park around it were created in 1957 as a place of recreation for Nowa Huta; the lake itself covers more than 7 hectares.
Did you know?
On the shore there is a control console with proximity sensors arranged like the fountains on the water. Each sensor controls one jet, and one person's hands can only start two at a time, so to get them all going several people have to work together. After 10 seconds without any change, the fountain goes back to automatic mode.