Tucked away in the narrow Weiße Gasse in Dresden's Old Town, this small bronze fountain tells a playful story of mischief and youth. The Gänsediebbrunnen, or Goose Thief Fountain, is one of those charming details that reward travelers who wander off the main squares.

The bronze figure depicts a young man stealing two geese — a nod to Thomas Platter, a wandering student who, in 1512, stole a pair of geese for a farewell feast before leaving Dresden's Kreuzschule. The fountain sits on a granite base surrounded by a stone basin, giving the whole scene a lively, storybook feel. In summer, the water bubbles cheerfully and passersby often pause to admire the details; in winter, the still bronze figure stands quietly among the old town's stone facades.

• Dresden Old Town, Weiße Gasse — short walk from the Old Market Square, a few minutes, easy
• Also accessible from the former Ferdinandplatz, the fountain's original location

• Created in 1878 by sculptor Robert Diez, cast in bronze by the Dresden foundry C. Albert Bierling
• Granite pedestal designed with architects Paul Weidner and Giese
• Moved to its current location in 1961 after relocation from Ferdinandplatz
• Survived the 1945 bombing of Dresden largely undamaged

Fun fact: the fountain appeared on an East German postage stamp in 1979, and copies of the sculpture can be found in Pößneck and Augustusburg.