SAVANNAH, Ga. — An iconic feature of Savannah, the Forsyth Park fountain, is set to undergo a significant change as it will be fully removed for restoration for the first time in over thirty years. This beloved landmark will soon look different, at least temporarily.

Crews will be preparing for the delicate task of dismantling this historic fountain, which has been a fixture in Forsyth Park here since 1858.

City officials said this project is critical to preserving the fountain for future generations to come.

Recently, the City of Savannah, in collaboration with Landmark Preservation, turned off and drained the fountain to prepare for a restoration process that will span several months.

Crews conducted a final site visit Thursday to map out the removal plan. Smaller decorative elements like swans and urns will begin coming off first.

The actual removal of the fountain is scheduled to commence on Monday and is anticipated to take one to two days. The entire fountain, composed of original cast-iron pieces, will be transported to Robinson Iron Works in Alabama for its restoration.

“I believe this is the most iconic fountain in the country,” Robinson Iron Works Marketing Director Luke Robinson said.

“I flew into Cleveland recently and the first thing I saw was a huge banner that said ‘now offering flights to Savannah’ with a picture of this fountain. So, we know how important it is.”

Robinson said, “We restored it in 1988. I’m going to say we’ve restored somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 to 250 fountains.”

The project will also include upgrades to the surrounding masonry, fence, plumbing and electrical systems. If all goes according to plan, the fountain should return to Forsyth Park by early fall.

While the fountain will be missing from Forsyth Park, city leaders said it’s a necessary step to preserve this historic centerpiece. Once the work is done, visitors can expect to see the fountain looking better than ever.