Fodor's Expert Review Fountain Square

Everything and everyone from parades to politicians stop here at the center of Downtown. The centerpiece of this Queen City landmark is the Tyler Davidson Fountain, which was cast in 1867 at the Royal Bavarian Foundry in Munich, Germany. The fountain depicts the importance of water through the use of 13 allegorical figures. The main female figure, called the Genius of Water, stands with her arms stretched out, and water sprays from the palms of her hands. The city cleaned and moved the fountain as part of a $43 million renovation of the square and its underground parking facilities in 2005 and 2006 that yielded a more open configuration, a giant outdoor video screen, and, in the winter, an expanded ice rink. The square is a popular lunch spot in fair weather, as well as being the site of the city's annual Oktoberfest ceremony.