Gothic library

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Gothic library, on the right in the background the Marble Palace

The Gothic Library as a two-storey tower pavilion made of sandstone is a sight in the New Garden of the state capital Potsdam .

architecture

The two-storey, octagonal, pavilion-like tower is enclosed by a four-sided arcade . In the basement there is a high window front and three stone arches on each side, which open up on the two land sides via wide steps. A spiral staircase decorated with a railing leads outdoors to the terrace and the room on the upper floor. The sandstone building shows a neo-Gothic character, which is also continued inside with the slender star vaults . The building is crowned by a gold-colored top made of several spheres.

location

Map section of Potsdam around 1900

The Gothic Library is located directly on the tapering south bank of the Holy See , in visual relation to the Marble Palace . The bank is north of the park entrance to the New Garden, near the intersection of Mangerstraße and Behlertstraße in the Potsdam district of Nauener Vorstadt .

history

The building was built between 1792 and 1794 on behalf of King Friedrich Wilhelm II, based on a design by Carl Gotthard Langhans in the style of a Gothic chapel. The interior is also in the Gothic style . Upon completion, it was used as a private royal library. The building also served as a belvedere directly on the water. The basement contained classical French literature in three bookcases and the upper floor was reserved for the German classics and writings of the Rosicrucians in four cabinets, both in equal parts. In contrast to previous Prussian kings, Friedrich Wilhelm II promoted German art as well as French. The king's secret library, however, was not located here, but on the other side of the Holy Lake, in the Marble Palace .

Until its demolition in 1869, the Wooden Moorish Temple at the northern tip of the lake formed the counterpart to the Gothic Library. Since the 1930s, the Gothic Library has only lived up to its name historically, as all books have been relocated to the Potsdam City Palace. These works no longer exist today because they were burned in the bombing raid on the “ Night of Potsdam ” (April 14th to 15th, 1945).

Due to a bomb strike in Heiligen See during World War II , the building slid towards the water. The inclined edge of the foundation can still be seen today. By consequent damage to the building fell into disrepair after the war to ruin state , it has long been known as the "Leaning Tower of Potsdam". On the occasion of Potsdam's 1000th birthday in 1993 , Berlin made a generous gift of 1.6 million marks to preserve the building. It was not until the years 1995 to 1997 that the foundations were secured and the library, which had previously been dismantled, was completely reconstructed from the original parts, at great expense and with federal, state and city funds. The foundation stone for the reconstruction was laid on February 6, 1995 in the presence of representatives of the Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation Berlin-Brandenburg . The upper floor is cordoned off and the library itself can be viewed through the windows on the ground floor.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Catrin During: Built! Architecture guide Potsdam. Lukas Verlag, 2008, ISBN 978-3-936872-90-3 .
  2. ^ Potsdam - New Garden: "Gothic Library"; Status: September 20, 2010, Info-Potsdam.de , accessed on June 16, 2013.
  3. ↑ Bernd Wurlitzer in Marko Polo: "Potsdam with Environment", issue 6, Mair Dumont Marco Polo, 2003, ISBN 3-8297-0307-4 , online edition
  4. ↑ Berliner Zeitung: "Gotische Bibliothek goes back to life", archive from February 7, 1995, accessed on June 16, 2013.

Coordinates: 52 ° 24 '23.1 "  N , 13 ° 4' 1.2"  E