One Of 'Switzerland's Most Famous Symbols' Is An Iconic, Massive Fountain With Scenic Harbor Views

People, including travel experts, can be very divided on Geneva, Switzerland. While Rick Steves has dubbed the city as "overrated," Samantha Brown called out the quirky neighborhood of Carouge as the perfect place to window shop. But despite the expense and crowds you're bound to find there, Geneva is also full of wonderful museums, excellent food, and interesting attractions that are both iconic and unique to the city itself. One of those attractions has to be the Jet d'Eau, a marvelous water jet fountain that is synonymous with the city –– even though it was never planned to be a tourist attraction.

Jet d'Eau can be found in Geneva's harbor, La Rade. It doesn't look like a typical fountain, but rather a powerful jet stream that shoots into the sky from mid-morning until night (barring weather and temperature conditions that may interfere with the jet stream). After sunset, the jet stream is actually lit up by colorful lights, sometimes with a specific theme to celebrate a major event or holiday. Themed illuminations are announced in advance on the official SIG website SIG (Services Industriels de Genève), the Swiss utility company that maintains the Jet d'Eau.

Tourists can actually walk close to the Jet d'Eau via a harbor footbridge on the pier or book a harbor cruise or boat tour that allows for a view of the fountain (often in combination with other attractions nearby). The Jet d'Eau can also be viewed from the Bains des Pâquis. If you're not in Geneva, there's also a live stream of it online through the SIG website. Recently, the attraction was shut down for maintenance from October 28 to December 4, 2024.

Jet d'Eau was not actually meant to be a popular tourist attraction — at least, not at first. The jet stream was created out of necessity by the energy company in 1886 to allow pressurized water to be released during the night. It was moved to its current location in 1891, but it wasn't until 1951 that the jet stream started reaching new, even more impressive heights –– from 90 meters (295 feet) to 140 meters (459 feet) into the air. The combined height and pressure of the stream means that the Jet d'Eau flows at about 200 kilometers (124 miles) per hour and pumps 500 liters (132 gallons) of water per second. In short, the awe-inspiring sight of the Jet d'Eau has made it a must-see attraction in the city.

There are many other attractions to see in Geneva, though not all of them are close to the Jet d'Eau. However, there is much more to discover nearby. Geneva's historic Old Town, near Saint Peter's Cathedral, about 20 minutes from the jet, is full of amazing shops, restaurants, secret passageways, and historic medieval architecture. Keep in mind that Geneva is one of the most expensive cities to dine out in all of Europe, but it's also where you can visit two premier museums –– Maison Tavel (which focuses on medieval history) and the International Museum of the Reformation (where you can also see the famous Reformation Wall monument in the nearby Parc des Bastions). Further away, you can also visit the Palais des Nations (headquarters of the United Nations), which is about 30 minutes to an hour away from the harbor by public transit.