1. Water Boat Fountain, Valencia, Spain
This curious fountain can be found at Malvarrosa beach in the Spanish city of Valencia. It gives the illusion of a sailboat underway thanks to jets of water that spurt out of its "mast". Similar water boat fountains are known to exist in Portugal and Israel.
2. The Mustangs of Las Colinas, Texas, USA
This bronze sculpture, which adorns Williams Square in Las Colinas, Irving, Texas, is said to be the largest equestrian sculpture in the world. It pays tribute to wild mustangs that have deep historical significance in Texas. The mustangs represent the drive and initiative required to live successfully during the days of the American pioneers.
3. Banpo Bridge, Seoul, South Korea
When it was installed, the Moonlight Fountain along Banpo Bridge broke the world record for the longest bridge fountain in the world. It incorporates no less than 10,000 LED nozzles that run along both sides of the 3,740-foot-long bridge. The nozzles shoot out a combined 190 tons of water per minute. It was completed in 2009.
4. Charybdis Vortex Fountain, Sunderland, UK
Directors at Sunderland's luxury Seaham Hotel and Spa decided that their establishment needed something to make it unforgettable. In the year 2000, they commissioned sculptor William Pye to create the spectacular vortex fountain you see before you. It gets it name from a siren mentioned in the Ancient Greek epic, the Odyssey by the poet Homer.
5. Magic Tap, Cadiz, Spain
This fountain is utterly baffling at first glance. If you're wondering how this optical illusion is achieved, I can tell you that it's supported by a pipe that runs through the middle of the fountain's stream of water. It's located at the Aqualand theme park in the Spanish city of Cadiz.
6. Giant at the entrance to Crystal Worlds, Watten, Austria
Swarovski Crystal Worlds is a museum located in Wattens, Austria. It was built in 1995 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the world-famous crystal jeweler, Swarovski. The entrance to the museum is covered by a glass-covered head. The head's mouth is the fountain, and water cascades over the entrance into a man-made lake.
7. Nine Floating Fountains, Osaka, Japan
It's remarkable to think that this series of nine fountains were installed way back in the 1970s. Designed by Japanese-American artist Isamu Noguchi, they were put in place for the 1970 World Expo, which was held in Osaka, Japan. The most amazing thing about these fountains is that they appear to be hovering in mid-air.
8. Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy
The Trevi Fountain in Rome is probably the most famous fountain in the entire world. It was designed in the Baroque style by architect Nicola Salvi, and it was completed by Pietro Bracci in 1762. On a visit to Rome, it is customary to toss a coin into the fountain over your left shoulder with your right hand. Doing so is thought to bring good luck.
9. The Divers' Fountain, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The Dubai Mall in the United Arab Emirates has this stunning 78-foot-high centerpiece, which is called the Divers' Fountain. The divers that appear to be diving into the pool below the fountain are made of fiberglass. The waterfall was designed by DPA Architects of Singapore, and it was opened to the public in 2009.
10. Metamorphosis Fountain, Charlotte, USA
Fountains don't get any wilder than this behemoth located in the US city of Charlotte. Consisting of two dozen reflective stainless steel plates that rotate independently, this fountain weighs 14 tons and stands almost 25 feet high. Every so often all the plates line up to form a perfectly-shaped human head. The fountain is the work of Czech sculptor David ฤernรฝ.
