The Schöner Brunnen (Beautiful Fountain) stands in the northwest corner of the Hauptmarkt and is one of the finest examples of Gothic fountain architecture in Germany. Built between 1385 and 1396 by Heinrich Beheim, it rises 19 metres in a tapering stone spire ornamented with 40 figures arranged in four tiers — the seven Electors, the nine heroes of antiquity, the Christian virtues, the four evangelists, and Moses and the prophets. The original figures were replaced with replicas in 1902; the originals are in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum.
The fountain is surrounded by a decorative iron railing containing a smooth golden ring. Spinning it three times is said to bring good luck. On busy days you'll have to queue for your turn.