Merkur-Brunnen

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Merkur-Brunnen (Mercury Fountain) by Hugo Lederer, 1916
Ludwig-Erhard-Anlage
Frankfurt, September 2024

“The Mercury Fountain was donated in 1909 by banker Anton L.A. Hahn, but not completed until 1916 by his sons Louis Alfred and Ludwig Arnold Hahn in memory of their father. Initially erected on Komödienplatz (later Rathenauplatz), it was relocated around 1954 to the grounds in front of the main entrance to the exhibition center. Its decor is perfectly suited to this location, as the Roman god Mercury was believed to protect trade and commerce. A bronze figure of Mercury stands on a stone fountain post with a stepped double ring decorated with rams' heads. The figure is life-size, nude, and wears the typical winged hat; its upper body slightly turned away, it weighs a bag of gold pieces in its hands. The basin of this neoclassical ornamental fountain is a monolithic granite bowl. The water runs over its scaled ring and cascades through a concealed gap into the depths. The basin stands on four spheres above a surface of two octagonal steps.” (Merkur-Brunnen, Kunst im öffentlichen Raum Frankfurt)

Liegende

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“Liegende” (Reclining) by Willi Schmidt, 1977
Große Bockenheimer Landstraße
Frankfurt, September 2024

“The female figure in Freßgass was modeled after a much smaller one that the sculptor Willi Schmidt had exhibited in Frankfurt's former Technical City Hall. Frankfurt city officials liked it so much that Schmidt was commissioned to create a larger version for the city center. The material used, Naxos marble, takes its name from a Greek island where it has been mined since ancient times and continues to this day. Rudolf Kipp also created reclining figures for the Taunusanlage and Christian Peschke for Feuerbachstraße.” (Liegende, Kunst im öffentlichen Raum Frankfurt)

Schauspielhausbrunnen

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Märchenbrunnen (Fairy Tale Fountain) by Friedrich Christoph Hausmann, 1910
Untermainanlage
Frankfurt, September 2024

“The Fairytale Fountain or Schauspielhaus Fountain in Frankfurt am Main is located on the Untermainanlage next to the Frankfurt Municipal Theater. It is an Art Nouveau fountain that was completed in 1910. The construction of the fountain was initiated and financed by the art patron Leo Gans, who, as director of the Cassella works in Fechenheim, founded an art fund at the turn of the century and spent 150,000 marks (around 1.3 million euros in today's purchasing power) on the project. The sculptor Friedrich Christoph Hausmann was commissioned to create the fountain figure from white Tyrolean marble, a nymph (popularly known as the ‘Mainweibchen’). In the house of the city's well-known Jewish aristocratic family Carl and Arthur von Weinberg, where many social events took place, the choice fell on a young, pretty laundress from Niederrad who worked there: Margarete Endres, the later wife of the organist Eduard Gelbart. She was the daughter of a rubber mixer from Lower Franconia - not, as is often mistakenly believed, a baker. In 1906 (she was 19 years old at the time) she posed as a model for Städel professor Friedrich Hausmann.” (Märchenbrunnen, Wikipedia)

Beethoven-Denkmal

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Beethoven-Denkmal (Beethoven Monument) by Georg Kolbe, 1948
Taunusanlage
Frankfurt, September 2024

“The Beethoven Memorial in Frankfurt am Main is a monument in the Taunusanlage, created between 1926 and 1948. It honors the composer Ludwig van Beethoven. The monument stands on a hilltop in Frankfurt's Anlagenring. It consists of three bronze figures: the middle of the three larger-than-life figures depicts Ludwig van Beethoven, although not in portrait form. The two female figures are geniuses from Roman mythology. The diabase base is adorned with the inscription ‘To the Genius of Beethoven’. The monument was designed by Georg Kolbe. In 1926, Kolbe received an offer from the city of Berlin to create a Beethoven monument for a competition. Due to time constraints, he declined the offer, but began a design nonetheless. The design was not completed until 1947, and the monument was cast in Berlin in May of the following year. It was inaugurated on June 16, 1951.” (Beethoven Monument, Wikipedia)

Ein Haus für Goethe

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“Ein Haus für Goethe” (A House for Goethe) by Eduardo Chillida, 1986
Taunusanlage
Frankfurt, September 2024

“With his architectural sculpture, sculptor Eduardo Chillida raises several questions. It is far removed from the usual monuments to great poets and thinkers: concrete instead of bronze, abstract forms and geometric structures instead of figurative representation. Indeed, the work connects to a completely different point than the monument tradition: It belongs to a group of works by Chillida that includes homages to well-known artists, scientists, and philosophers. With ‘Ein Haus für Goethe’, Chillida provides the public with unique access to Goethe and his works: He created a space that is open at the front and therefore accessible. This house also does not have a roof—perhaps the artist was thinking of Goethe's interest in ‘light’ and didn't want to exclude this from a house for Goethe... Several monuments to poets have been erected within the ramparts. A brief comparison of the Schiller Monument and the Heine Monument with ‘Ein Haus für Goethe’, which you can find in the text on the first-mentioned object, demonstrates how different the artistic interpretations can be.” (Ein Haus für Goethe, Kunst im öffentlichen Raum Frankfurt)

Heine-Denkmal

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Heine-Denkmal (Heine Monument) by Georg Kolbe, 1913
Friedberger Anlage
Frankfurt, September 2024

“The Heinrich Heine Memorial in the Wallanlagen park of Frankfurt am Main, built in 1913, is the first and only representative monument to the poet Heinrich Heine, who died in 1856 , in Germany. It was erected with the help of public funds and survived both the terror of the Nazi era and the Second World War largely unscathed. The bronze sculpture of a striding young man and a young woman seated at his feet, created by the sculptor Georg Kolbe, is an allegory of the youthfulness and lightness of Heine's poetry. The group of figures, a typical work of Art Nouveau, stands on a shell limestone base, to which a bronze relief, also designed by Kolbe, depicts the poet's profile and name.” (Heinrich-Heine-Denkmal, Wikipedia)

Minerva-Brunnen

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Minerva-Brunnen (Minerva Fountain) by Friedrich Schierholz, 1894
(1983 copy from the original, destroyed in 1944)
Römerberg, Altstadt
Frankfurt, September 2024

“The eastern part of the Römerberg is also called ‘Samstagsberg’ (Saturday Hill) because, in the 15th century, public court was held here every Saturday in the open air. Later, weekly markets were also held regularly at this location. In 1481, the first open well was built here. Its early existence is documented by a document relating to the house Zum Ullner. In 1750, the fountain was converted into a pump well, and the old well trough was replaced with a smaller one. Further changes took place in 1893/1894. Since then, the figure of the goddess Minerva has stood on the cornice of the fountain. She is considered a symbol of wisdom, warfare, the arts, and crafts. The sculptor Friedrich Schierholz created the design but was never able to complete the work. The sculptor Fritz Klimsch completed the figure and fountain. The figure of Minerva gives the fountain its current name. On her head, she wears a helmet, holds a spear in her left hand, and a shield in her right. The shield depicts the severed head of Medusa. Rococo reliefs adorn all four sides of the pillar. An inscription on the back reads: ‘Renovated 1887’. The Minerva Fountain was destroyed in the war in 1944 and removed from the Römerberg in 1951. A largely historically accurate replica was reinstalled in 1983.” (Minerva-Brunnen, Kunst im öffentlichen Raum Frankfurt)

Pegasus

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“Pegasus” (Alte Oper) by Georg Hüter, 1983
Opernplatz
Frankfurt, September 2024

“In 1983, Pegasus returned to the top gable of the Old Opera House. After the original sculpture by Ludwig Brunow burned during the war in 1944, a faithful replica now adorns the impressive building. Sculptor Georg Hüter crafted it from embossed copper sheet. This hybrid creature, originating from Greek mythology, has the body of a horse and the wings of an eagle, thus combining the symbolic aspects of the horse—vitality and power—with those of the bird—freedom and the striving for transcendence. Together with the panther quadriga, which sits enthroned in the center of the lower gable, Pegasus forms the pinnacle of the Old Opera House's magnificent exterior façade.” (Pegasus, Kunst im öffentlichen Raum Frankfurt)

Justitia-Brunnen

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Justitia-Brunnen (Fountain of Justice) by Friedrich Schierholz, 1887
Römerberg, Altstadt
Frankfurt, September 2024

“The Fountain of Justice (also known as the Justitia Fountain) is a fountain on the Römerberg in Frankfurt am Main and one of the city's landmarks. It dates back to a previous building on the same site in 1543 and was built in its present form in 1611. During the time of the Holy Roman Empire, it played a special, albeit short-lived, role as a wine fountain for the emperor during the coronation ceremony, and later also for the people. The fountain currently on display is a largely faithful copy from 1887, financed by the Frankfurt wine merchant Gustav D. Manskopf.” (Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen, Wikipedia)

Junior-Haus

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Junior-Haus by Wilhelm Berentzen, 1951
Kaiserplatz
Frankfurt, September 2024

“The Junior House is a striking building on Kaiserplatz in downtown Frankfurt am Main, built in 1951. Its architect is Wilhelm Berentzen (1898–1984), who also designed the Rundschau House, built in 1954 and demolished in 2005. The Junior House is named after its builder, Kurt Junior, who ran the Jacob Carl Juniorsche Liegenschaftsverwaltung (property management company). Mercedes-Benz operated a prestigious showroom in the basement for over 50 years, and a restaurant briefly operated there in 2010. A large Mercedes star still adorns the roof. Until it was destroyed in a bombing raid in 1944, there was a house with a café on the site, which Jacob Carl Junior bought and converted around 1890. The nine-story building is almost 35 meters high. With its circular, glass staircase, flanked by office wings on both sides at an acute angle, the corner building between Kaiserstraße and Friedensstraße, opposite the traditional Frankfurter Hof hotel, is considered one of the most important buildings of the reconstruction period.” (Junior-Haus, Wikipedia)

Henninger Turm

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Henninger Turm by Meixner Schlüter Wendt, 2017
Hainer Weg
Frankfurt, September 2024

“In November 2012, it was announced that Henninger Turm would be demolished because it was too costly and uneconomic for renovation. Demolition began in January 2013 and was completed by the end of the year. On its site a new 140-metre-tall (460 ft) residential tower was built. Being inspired by the former Henninger Turm, the design was conceived by the architects Meixner Schlüter Wendt.[6] Whereas both the contours and the side facing the city are strongly reminiscent of the original appearance of the old silo, the three other sides clearly indicate the new building's function as a residential tower. It contains 209 luxury apartments. The cornerstone for this project was laid in June 2014 and the tower was completed in summer 2017.” (Henninger Turm, Wikipedia)

Städel

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Städel
Schaumainkai, Museumsufer
Frankfurt, September 2024

“The Städel, officially the Städelsches Kunstinstitut und Städtische Galerie, is an art museum in Frankfurt, with one of the most important collections in Germany. The museum is located at the Museumsufer on the Sachsenhausen bank of the River Main. The Städel Museum owns 3,100 paintings, 660 sculptures, more than 4,600 photographs and more than 100,000 drawings and prints. It has around 7,000 m2 (75,000 sq ft) of display and a library of 115,000 books. The Städel was founded in 1817, and is one of the oldest museums in Frankfurt. The founding followed a bequest by the Frankfurt banker and art patron Johann Friedrich Städel (1728–1816), who left his house, art collection and fortune with the request in his will that the institute be set up. In the early years, Städel's former living quarters at Frankfurt's Roßmarkt were used to present his collection. The collection received its first exhibition building at the Neue Mainzer Straße in 1833. In 1878, a new museum building, in the Neo-Renaissance style, was erected by Oskar Sommer on Schaumainkai, a street along the south side of the river Main.” (Städel, Wikipedia)

Europaturm

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Europaturm by Erwin Heinle, 1979
Wilhelm-Epstein-Straße
Frankfurt, September 2024

“The Europaturm (Tower of Europe) is a 337.5-metre (1,107 ft) high telecommunications tower in Frankfurt, Germany. Designed by architect Erwin Heinle, the tower's construction began in 1974. At its completion five years later, it became the tallest free-standing structure in the Federal Republic of Germany. With its height of 331 metres (1,086 ft), Europaturm became Germany's second tallest structure, after the Fernsehturm Berlin (368 metres (1,207 ft)). Even without the height of the antenna at its top, the building is over 295 metres (968 ft) high, which makes it Germany's tallest structure by roof level. Its base, at 59 metres (194 ft) thick, is the widest of any similar structure in the world. The top of the tower can turn and provides a panoramic view of the Rhine Main area. For a number of years, the upper part of the structure housed a restaurant and discothèque, but since 1999, the Europaturm has been closed to the public. In September, 2004, the antenna at the top of the tower was replaced, increasing its total height to 337.5 metres (1,107 ft). The six-ton antenna was lifted to the top in two parts by helicopter.” (Europaturm, Wikipedia)

Frankfurter Hof

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Frankfurter Hof
Am Kaiserplatz, Bethmannstraße
Frankfurt, September 2024

“The Frankfurter Hof is a hotel in Frankfurt am Main and is part of the Steigenberger Hotel Group. The hotel building is located on Kaiserplatz in Frankfurt's city center. It is a listed building. The hotel lobby, which houses the Hofgarten breakfast restaurant, the OSCAR'S restaurant, and the ‘Autorenbar’, is also open to non-hotel guests. The hotel was built between 1872 and 1876 on the site of the former Weisser Hirsch by Karl Jonas Mylius and Alfred Friedrich Bluntschli. It immediately became one of Frankfurt's top restaurants. The first director was J. Fauchère-Schimon. Albert Steigenberger acquired the hotel in 1940. Just four years later, the building was destroyed by bombs during the Second World War air raids on Frankfurt am Main. The temporary reopening took place in 1948, initially with 20 beds. Five years later, the house was rebuilt in a simplified form—with a penthouse floor replacing the original mansard roof.” (Frankfurter Hof, Wikipedia)

Eiserner Steg

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Eiserner Steg (Iron Footbridge)
Mainkai
Frankfurt, September 2024

“The Eiserner Steg (Iron Footbridge) is a footbridge spanning the river Main in the city of Frankfurt, Germany, which connects the centre of Frankfurt with the district of Sachsenhausen. The first wrought iron bridge was built in 1868. It was replaced in 1911/1912 by a slightly larger cantilever bridge. It is 170 metres long and consists of riveted steel trusses with two bridge piers. The bridge was blown up by the Wehrmacht in the final days of World War II, but it was rebuilt shortly afterwards in 1946. It was fully renovated in 1993.” (Eiserner Steg, Wikipedia)

Elch

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“Elch” (Elk) by Hans Traxler, 2008
Caricatura Museum für Komische Kunst
Leinwandhaus
Weckmarkt, Altstadt
Frankfurt, September 2024

“The Caricatura Museum, official name Caricatura Museum für Komische Kunst, is a museum for comic art in Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany. It shows a in a permanent exhibition works by the artists of the Neue Frankfurter Schule, and additionally exhibitions of contemporary artists. It is part of Frankfurt's Museumsufer (Museum Riverbank). In 2000, a group called Caricatura of the Historical Museum, Frankfurt, began to prepare a museum for comic art in Frankfurt. The Caricatura Museum was opened on 1 October 2008 in the Leinwandhaus in the Altstadt. The permanent exhibition shows works by F. W. Bernstein, Robert Gernhardt, Chlodwig Poth, Hans Traxler, and F. K. Waechter, including literary works and films. It is complemented by readings, book presentations and other events. The trade mark of the museum is a bronze sculpture in front of the building by Hans Traxler. The Elch sculpture carries the names of the eight most important representatives of the Neue Frankfurter Schule, and a two-line poem by F. W. Bernstein, ‘Die schärfsten Kritiker der Elche / waren früher selber welche’ (The harshest critics of the moose / used themselves to be some).” (Caricatura Museum Frankfurt, Wikipedia)

Stoltze-Brunnen

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Stoltze-Brunnen by Friedrich Schierholz, 1892
Hühnermarkt, Altstadt
Frankfurt, September 2024

“The Stoltze Fountain is a fountain built in the 1890s on the Hühnermarkt square in the old town of Frankfurt am Main; it is a listed building. During the reconstruction of the Römer (Römer), from 1981 to 2016, it stood on Friedrich-Stoltze-Platz behind St. Catherine's Church. The Stoltze Fountain is a monument in the Neo-Renaissance style. It was designed by Friedrich Schierholz in honor of the poet and writer Friedrich Stoltze (1816–1891) and erected on the poet's birthday, November 21, 1892, on Frankfurt's Hühnermarkt, in the immediate vicinity of Stoltze's birthplace, Zum Rebstock . The ceremonial inauguration took place on November 2, 1895. The Freedom Fountain, which had stood on the Hühnermarkt since the end of the Second World War, was moved to the Roseneck on the Weckmarkt.” (Stoltze-Brunnen, Wikipedia)

Großer Engel

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Großer Engel (Big Angel)
Römerberg, Altstadt
Frankfurt, September 2024

“The Großer Engel (Great Angel) is a historic building in Frankfurt am Main. It is the northernmost building in the ‘Ostzeile’ (East Row) that borders the Römerberg square, and is the leftmost building from a frontal viewer, with the address Römerberg 28. To the south, the building borders the Goldener Greif (Golden Griffin) building, and to the north, the Markt street opens up. To the east, the Großer Engel (Great Angel) is connected to the Kleiner Engel (Little Angel), so that the two buildings form a historically and architecturally cohesive complex. In 1562, the most ornate private building of the late Gothic period in Frankfurt was built, combining the two aforementioned plots and possibly also some older structures. As a corner house in the once densely built Markt street, with the cathedral rising behind it in the distance, the Große Engel in particular has been and remains one of the most frequently depicted and later photographed motifs of Frankfurt's old town ever since. During the Second World War, the Great and Little Angels were almost completely destroyed during the air raids on Frankfurt am Main, but were largely rebuilt true to the original in 1983-1984 during the reconstruction of the east side of the Römerberg.” (Großer und Kleiner Engel, Wikipedia)

Ebergruppe

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“Ebergruppe” (Wild Boar Group) by Paul Kratz, 1900ca
Nizzaufer
Frankfurt, September 2024

“Two wild boars in fighting pose stand on the Main riverside. Sculptor Paul Kratz was a precise observer of how male wild boars fight against each other in the mating season. What we see depicted here in great detail and true to nature is the pushing match, shoulder against shoulder that typically follows a special posturing gait. A former student of the Städel Academy, Kratz was known for his outstanding animal sculptures. He lived mainly in Frankfurt/Main. In World War II, his studio in Bethmann Park was almost completely destroyed in a bombing raid and only a few bronze sculptures survived. In addition to the Ebergruppe (Wild Boar Group) (around 1900) another of his animals is located in Frankfurt’s public space, namely the Panther (1930) in the Palmengarten.” (Ebergruppe, Kunst im öffentlichen Raum Frankfurt)

Pre Bell Man

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“Pre Bell Man” (50m) by Nam June Paiks, 1990
Museum für Kommunikation
Schaumainkai, Museumsufer
Frankfurt, September 2024

"In 1990, the Korean media artist Nam June Paik created a 4.10 meter high equestrian figure for the opening of the new building of the Museum of Communication in Frankfurt. The Pre Bell Man is one of the largest figurative sculptures in the work of the Korean artist, who was active globally until his death in 2006 and received a lot of international acclaim. Nam June Paik's critical attitude towards the importance of the media for the individual and society is reflected in the design based on a classic equestrian statue: while the horse is a cast of an original from the Renaissance and is used like an objet trouvé, the rider has been assembled from historical communication devices from the collection of the Museum Foundation for Post and Telecommunications, to which the Museum for Communication Frankfurt belongs." (The Pre Bell Man by Nam June Paik, Museum of Communication Frankfurt)