A colourful yet macabre statue in the capital of Switzerland has left everyone wondering why it was even made for almost 500 years.
The Kindlifresserbrunnen, which translates as the Fountain of the Eater of Little Children, is located in the centre of Old Bern and depicts an ogre-type figure sitting on a column dressed in red, green and yellow.
He also happens to be chomping down on a naked baby' s head with its chubby behind on display.
Other helpless cherubic youngsters are either in the giant's grip or in a bag by his side - all with fearful expressions no doubt over their coming fate.
The towering statue is thought to be part of one of the oldest fountains in Bern, a city famous for public fountains with more than 100 dotted throughout it.
But the mystery remains of why such a creepy-looking statue appeared on the streets in the first place.
What is known is that it was sculpted by Hans Gieng, who was responsible for creating many of Bern's fountains, in 1546 as a replacement for a wooden sculpture.
Aside from these facts nothing else is known about the Ogre Fountain, as it is often called, but there are are plenty of theories on its origin.
The first, and most disturbing, is that it acted as a warning against the Jewish community in the area due to the ogre wearing a pointed hat resembling the kind worn by Jews.
Another theory is that it represents the Greek god called Cronos, known by the Roman name of Saturn, who was said to devour his children for fear that they could eventually usurp him.
A famously gruesome 19th-century painting by the Spaniard Francisco Goya called 'Saturn Devouring His Sons' depicted this mythological scene.
Some people believe that the child-eating giant represents the older brother of Duke Berchtold, the founder of Bern.
The sibling, it is said, was so incensed by his younger brother's success that he went and ate the town's children in a fit of rage - although there is no record of this ever happening in the local history books.
Lastly, could it be that the Kindlifresserbrunnen represents Krampus, a mythical creature popular across many German-speaking countries like Switzerland?
The horned and hooved beast serves as Santa Claus's demonic sidekick who during Christmas time on the night of December 5 visits and scares children who have been misbehaving into acting good.
The real meaning behind the city's oddest fountain may never be known but it won't stop people walking by from curiously looking up at the grimly intriguing statue.
