It was the last great Parisian fountain located on a facade since subsequently, all monumental fountains were placed in squares or parks. The Saint-Michel fountain, is a Parisian fountain located in the 6th arrondissement of the city, situated in the corner between the boulevard Saint-Michel and Place Saint-André-des-Arts. We happened to visit it at a time when it was surrounded by tents due to an artisan market that was taking place at the end of May.
It is located in the heart of the Latin Quarter and occupies the entirety of one of the walls of a six-story building. It was listed as a historical monument in 1926.
The fountain, whose main structure is that of a triumphal arch, is part of the plan for the transformation of Paris during the Second Empire launched by Baron Haussmann under Napoleon III in order to hide a facade that they did not find very aesthetic, generated by the works for the opening of the Boulevard Saint-Michel.
The initial idea for the Saint-Michel fountain was a monumental statue of Napoleon Bonaparte, being eventually discarded and opting finally for a work representing the struggle of Good and Evil where the Archangel Michael, sword in hand, appears subduing the Devil.
Sources consulted:
https://es.parisinfo.com/transportes/73150/Fontaine-Saint-Michel
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuente_Saint-Michel