Altes Stadthaus, Berlin
| Old City Hall | |
|---|---|
Altes Stadthaus Template:De icon | |
 Old City Hall | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Palladian |
| Location | Molkenmarkt, Berlin |
| Construction started | 1902 |
| Completed | 1911 |
| Renovated | 1950—1955 1993 1994 1998—1999 (roof) |
| Cost | 7,000,000ℳ |
| Owner | Senate of Berlin |
| Landlord | Senate of Berlin |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | Mansard |
| Floor count | 4 (main) Tower |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Ludwig Hoffmann |
| Main contractor | Various |
| References | |
| Ludwig Hoffmann[1] | |
The Old City Hall in Berlin is a former administrative building for the city government of Berlin. It stands between on the Molkenmarkt between Jüdenstraße, Klosterstraße, Parochialstraße, and Stralauer Straße. Designed by Ludwig Hoffmann, chief of construction for the city, it was built in 1902–11 at a cost of 7 million marks as successor to the Red City Hall. Originally called the "New City Hall" after World War II it became the seat of the Council of Ministers of the GDR, and a neighboring building became the city hall of East Berlin. This other building was therefore called the "New City Hall" and to avoid confusion, the former one has since been known as the "Old City Hall". The building was extensively renovated in the mid-1990s and now houses the city administration of the Senate of Berlin. One of the frequently promoted points of the building was that it included five courtyards. It also contains many sculptures, including 19 surviving from a set of 21 allegorical representations of the civic virtues by Josef Rauch, Ignatius Taschner, George Wrba and William Widemann.
The construction had gone into administration in March 1908, while the tower was starting construction, which took three years to build. The city hall began construction in April 1902 and finished in October 1911; taking nine years. The construction was known as "impressive" to the majority of the population of Berlin at the time. It is within walking distance of the former city hall, which is being currently used as of 2012. The city hall created 1,000 new jobs, more than the old city hall, which created only 317. The city hall is 12,600 square feet (1,170 m2) in size compared to the former hall, which was 9,000 square feet (840 m2) in size. The panel layout of the hall is based on the shapes of the Palladian architectural system and the entire building is crowned with a mansard roof. Before construction, the city planner at that time commissioned Hoffmann to design an office building to provide the city with 1,000 more jobs and two boardrooms for the administration of Berlin. Hoffmann had many proposals for the building, one which included a tower on the outside and the interior was dominated by a large hall. This proposal was agreed on, which was later built.
History
The Old City Hall planning began in the 1860s as the Berlin government had a large administrative burden.[2] The city hall was damaged in World War II and has later been restored many times since to get it up to it's original state before the bombing. One of the later elements of the series of renovations was the sanitation and the new plumbing which was installed, as the hall was using 1920s plumbing.[3] It was built as the Red City Hall in Berlin could not be extended and had a large administrative burden. The Red City Hall only had 300 staff members. This city hall was built to help the economy and provided 1,000 new jobs.[4]
Second City Hall
The rapid growth in Berlin's population of approximately 50,000 people a year beginning in the 1860s created a large administrative burden.[5] When construction began on the Red City Hall was built, the city had approximately 500,000 inhabitants.[6] By the time it was completed in 1869, there were 800,000.[7] It was determined that a second city hall was required,[8] as the Red City Hall could not be extended.[9]
In 1893, the Magistrat, the executive committee of the Berlin city council, proposed a site on the banks of the River Spree (roughly corresponding to the current location of the Berlin Finance Department and the offices of the Social Association of Germany.[10] However, the full city council rejected this location as likely to make the new city hall more prominent than the old. The proposal for another city hall was therefore put on hold for "several years".[11] After several proposed locations had been discussed and, in 1898, the then city chief of construction Ludwig Hoffmann had involved himself in the issue, the council agreed on the Molkenmarkt location. The 32 built-up parcels of land on the site were one by one bought up and cleared.[12]
In view of his participation in the debate and also his reputation, it was clear that Hoffmann should receive the commission to design the new, prestigious building.[13] Without any kind of competitive bidding or restrictions as to the form of the building, he was commissioned to design a building with space for approximately 1,000 employees and with two meeting chambers.[14] Hoffmann presented his proposed design years later.[15] It contained two surprises: the interior was dominated by a single large hall, and the exterior featured a tower.[15] The committee members, although initially critical, voted to accept the proposed concept, and Berlin was at the time on such a sound financial footing that even the city treasurer had no objections either to the building or to the inclusion of the tower.[16]
Specifications
Hoffmann created a monumental building with five courtyards, to "even the offices of the municipal administrations, which have no place in the city hall to include, but should also major public hall for celebrations include the lack of the city, and also to the outside through the Berlin of today represent a monumental and magnificent building that is pronounced to be " (Ludwig Hoffmann, 1914).[17]
Inside the city hall there is a three-story, barrel-vaulted hall which is located at the centre of the building.[18] George Wrba designed the Rosso Verona marble floor along with six pieces of ceremonial candelabra that decorate the hall. The hall can fill 1500 people. George Wrba also created a large bronze bear which was moved to the end of the hall.[19]
The layout of the building shows an irregular Keystone using the dimensions of the former city hall. The side wings of the parochial road are stralauer piereced as the triaxial side projects on to the facades of the Jews and the monastery road.[20] The main axis with the entrance hall and the ballroom is located between the five-axis Mittelrisaliten the Jews and the monastery road. Cross-wing divides the complex of the five courtyards in to the hall.[21]
The panel layout is based on the shapes of the Palladian architectural system. The building is crowned by a mansard roof. The front towards Jüdenstraße is 82.63 metres (271.1 ft) long, 126.93 metres (416.4 ft) in the direction of Convent Road, 108.31 metres (355.3 ft) and the Parochial Stralauer road 94.46 metres (309.9 ft).[22]
The city hall is full of sculptures including 19 allegory pieces and 21 original figures of civic virtues, by Josef Rauch, Ignatius Taschner, George Wrba and William Widemann, all sculptors.[22]
Opening after a long wait
The construction took a while, meaning that parts of the administration of the project including civil engineering delegation and the municipal police administration already moved into the site in March 1908, with the sewer and municipal deputation following them a few weeks later.[23] The tower itself was built between 1908 and 1911, taking three years. After more than ten years of planning and construction the city hall was opened by Martin Kirschner on 29 October 1911. The construction took nine years and six months after starting in April 1902 and ending in October 1911.[22]
Hoffmann's construction was known as "impressive" to the population. Also it was within walking distance of the former city hall, of which it contained architecture for. The city hall created 1,000 new jobs, but the old one only created 317. The city hall is 12,600 square feet (1,170 m2) in size compared to the former hall, which was 9,000 square feet (840 m2) in size.[4]
Planning for the period of National Socialism
Until the 1920s there were no significant changes to the city hall. World War I and the November revolution harmed the city hall. In 1920, the Greater Berlin Act expanded Berlin by incorporating many upstream villages. This increased the administrative burden, making some departments outsourced.[24] In 1929 there was a comission for the Berlin Magistrate architectural administration, a concept for a new building.[24] The new administration included the main city library and the city savings bank, along with creating new jobs to civil servants of Berlin.
The construction of the new building was built in a large planned refurbishment program of the Molkenmarkt district. This was flourished until 1931, until the plans were declined due to the dismal political end economic situation, meaning this would be unachievable.[25] In World War II the building took bomb damage, mainly in the C and D wings.[26] The mansard roof was almost completely burned and there was substantial water damage to the building. The statues were destroyed in the war and the entire building was 50% damaged.[27]
Changes to East Germany
Shortly after the official surrender of the Wehrmacht on in May 1945, the Soviet city commandant looked at Nikolai Berzarin to find performing, anti-fascist people for a new public administration of Berlin.[28] On 19 May Bersarin appointed the 19 members of the Municipal Council under the leadership of the provisional mayor of Berlin, Arthur Werner.[29] The damage was able to be fixed, however large construction work was delayed.[29]
The initial proposals for the reconstruction of the hall began being submitted in 1948. The main proposal was for a new roof to be built. There were two options at the time, a full-scale mansard roof or a flat pitched roof. The most important element of this was timber, which was not in sufficient quantities in East Germany.[30] The reconstruction was to take place between 1950 and 1955 throughout five separate phrases. The city hall was referred to as the third city hall, which housed the Planning and Building Department of Berlin after reconstruction. After five years of reconstruction the city hall was fully operational then. However, many departments had moved into the remote Red City Hall.[29]
The city hall hosted important events, celebrations and ceremonies. Many of these were hosted at this city hall, but some others were held at the Palace of the Republic or the Council of State building.[30] The only historical main point from the last phase of GDR (East Germany) was that Lothar de Maizière (East German government leader) moved the government's offices there.[29]
Sanitation from the 1990s
In the German reunification of 1990 the Coat of arms of East Germany was removed from the building entrance, currently leaving a dark spot. The reunion of Germany attracted the Berlin branch of Federal Chancellery and a branch of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany into the building. After a 1993 dispute the federal government was given the city hall back to use it as an administrative building again. The building instantly went under renovation in the plumbing works, of which some were 1920s.[16]
Further renovation began in 1994 as Gerhard Spangenberg (an architect) intended to restore the building to it's original condition. First the iron beams, boards and particle boards were removed. In 1998 and 1999 the historic mansard roof was reconstructed so it was in it's original shape.[16] The Greek-style statues were restored in June 2005 and were distributed to various locations in the hall. In 2004 a 300 pound[convert: unknown unit] was included into the building. The restoration was funded by entrepreneur Peter Dussmann at a cost of €125,000.[3]
The renovation included the old ballroom which was opened in June 1999. In the renovation technical equipment, air-conditioning, elevators, lighting and sanitation were brought into the city hall. The restoration of the city hall back to it's original state is largely complete. The renovation was mainly paid for by federal and state governments.[3] The Berlin Senate Department of the Interior moved into the building in 1997. At times the Registry Office centre was located here.[3]
References
- ^ Hoffmann 1911
- ^ Verlag & Munich 1983, p. 67
- ^ a b c d Hansen 2007, p. 54
- ^ a b Eckert 2004, pp. 2–3
- ^ Hansen 2007, p. 7
- ^ Hoffmann 1911, p. 71
- ^ Hansen 2007, p. 13
- ^ Verlag & Munich 1990, p. 22
- ^ Hansen 2007, p. 4
- ^ Hoffmann 1911, p. 13
- ^ Hoffmann 1911, p. 14
- ^ Schäche 2000, p. 11
- ^ Verlag & Munich 1983, p. 43
- ^ Hoffmann 1911, p. 24
- ^ a b Fuchs & Aulich 2002, p. 1
- ^ a b c Fuchs & Aulich 2002, p. 2
- ^ Hoffmann 1914, p. 1
- ^ Verlag & Munich 1954, p. 3 harvnb error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFVerlagMunich1954 (help)
- ^ Verlag & Munich 1954, p. 4 harvnb error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFVerlagMunich1954 (help)
- ^ Verlag & Munich 1954, p. 6 harvnb error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFVerlagMunich1954 (help)
- ^ Hoffmann 1914, p. 4
- ^ a b c Hoffmann 1914, p. 3
- ^ Eckert 2004
- ^ a b Verlag & Munich 1954, p. 7 harvnb error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFVerlagMunich1954 (help)
- ^ Fuchs & Aulich 2002, p. 1—2
- ^ Hansen 2007, pp. 4
- ^ Hansen 2007, pp. 5
- ^ Eckert 2004, p. 2
- ^ a b c d Eckert 2004, p. 3
- ^ a b Eckert 2004, p. 21
Bibliography
- Hansen, Antje (2007). The old town house in Berlin. Munich: German Architecture Publishers. ISBN 9783422020290.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Hoffmann, Ludwig (1911). "New City House, Berlin". New buildings in the city of Berlin. Berlin: Archive of the Museum of Architecture at the Technical University of Berlin.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - Verlag, Henschel; Munich, Beck (1954). The art and architectural monuments of the East German capital of Berlin. Vol. II. Berlin: Henry Trost (ed.), Institute for Conservation (eds). Archive of the Museum of Architecture at the Technical University of Berlin. ISBN 3-362-00497-0.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - Verlag, Henschel; Munich, Beck (1954). The art and architectural monuments of the East German capital of Berlin. Vol. I. Berlin: Henry Trost (ed.), Institute for Conservation (eds). Archive of the Museum of Architecture at the Technical University of Berlin.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - Verlag, Henschel; Munich, Beck (1983). The art and architectural monuments of the East German capital of Berlin. Vol. I. Berlin: Henry Trost (ed.), Institute for Conservation (eds). Archive of the Museum of Architecture at the Technical University of Berlin. ISBN 3-362-00497-0.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - Schäche, Wolfgang (2000). The town house. History, inventory and change of a monument. Berlin: Jovis Verlag. ISBN 3-931321-36-3.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Verlag, Henschel; Munich, Beck (1984). The art and architectural monuments of the East German capital of Berlin. Vol. I. Berlin: Henry Trost (ed.), Institute for Conservation (eds). Archive of the Museum of Architecture at the Technical University of Berlin. ISBN 3-362-00497-0.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - Verlag, Henschel; Munich, Beck (1990). The art and architectural monuments of the East German capital of Berlin. Vol. I. Berlin: Henry Trost (ed.), Institute for Conservation (eds). Archive of the Museum of Architecture at the Technical University of Berlin. ISBN 3-362-00497-0.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - Fuchs, Claudia; Aulich, Uwe (2002). "The Old Town house is returned to the historical figures: new tower with Lady Luck". Berlin: Archiv[e], Berliner Zeritung. ISSN 0947-174X.
{{cite news}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Hoffmann, Ludwig (1914). [Old] City Hall. Berlin: Public Domain Archive at Berliner Zeritung.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Aulich, Uwe (2002). "tower with a new goddess of fortune". Berlin: Berliner Zeitung, Berliner Verlag. ISSN 0947-174X.
{{cite news}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - Caspar, Helmut (1995). "New tasks for the Old City Hall.". Berlin: Berliner Zeitung, Berliner Verlag. ISSN 0947-174X.
{{cite news}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - Morgenpost, Berliner (2005). "The Giants return to the Old City Hall.". Berlin: Berliner Zeitung, Berliner Verlag.
{{cite news}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - Rainer, L. Hein (2005). "Fortuna returns". Berlin: Berliner Zeitung, Berliner Verlag.
{{cite news}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - Schubert, Peter (2002). "Fortune will bring good luck to the city hall". Springer, Berlin: Berliner Morgenpost.
{{cite news}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Eckert, Hajo (2004). "Redevelopment of the town house is delayed by months". Springer, Berlin: Berliner Morgenpost.
{{cite news}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help)
External links
- Old City Hall in the lexicon district of Luis. In German.
- Fortune at the Dome, in Berlinische monthly, 5/2000. In German.
- Old City Hall, the interior minister. In German.
- Enumeration of wisdom from the Bärensaal. In German.
- Picture of Fortuna figure in the town house. In German.
- Picture of Fortuna figure in the workshop. In German.
- Festschrift sense of the Senate Administration for the reopening of the Bear Hall in June 1999, with historic pictures and floor plans (PDF, 800 KB). In German.
