Hildegardplatz
.jpg)
The Hildegardplatz is a square next to the Basilica of St. Lorenz in Kempten (Allgäu) . The square has existed in its current form since the church was built in the 17th century. Hildegardplatz got into the regional as well as supra-regional view of the media through a planned renovation that included the construction of an underground car park . The square was named in 1862, before that it was known as Stiftsplatz.
Description and location
Hildegardplatz is located right next to the St. Lorenz Church. On Wednesdays and Saturdays from spring to autumn, the square serves as a weekly market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. In the immediate vicinity is the Zumsteinhaus next to the country house . Furthermore, the square connects to the Kornhaus and the Serrohäuser .
Hildegard fountain
One of the first fountains was erected in the square in 1783. He had a basin made of metal. Around 1800 it was dismantled and placed on a farm in a neighboring municipality. It was replaced by a new fountain with a stone basin. This was replaced in 1847 by a neo-Gothic, cast iron fountain with a statue of the church donor Hildegard . The individual elements were originally painted in bright colors. In August 1950 this was also removed. The well was in poor condition and it would have been too expensive to repair.
In 2013, after the redesign of the square, a fountain designed by Christiane Sandler was installed. The round shell limestone basin is decorated with six animals, from which water flows at the push of a button. The animals are each a salamander, frog, grass snake, trout, carp and crab. On the separate column in the center of the fountain are two figures in swimwear with outstretched arms next to an apple tree. Underneath there is a wreath around the column with several small birds on it. From this wreath water flows from nozzles. The population welcomed the new well. The figures with swimwear, the style of the 1980s and the lack of connection to Hildegardplatz were criticized.
Hildegard fountain from 1783. This was replaced around 1800 by one with a stone basin. The figure on the column is no longer completely preserved.
This drawing shows the fountain with stone basin as it stood on the square from 1800.
The Hildegard Fountain in 1918. It stood there from 1847 to August 1950.
Substructure of the well from 1800 exposed during construction work.
Cancer on the fountain bowl from 2013.
_(1).jpg)
.jpg)
Redesign of the square
Underground parking and referendum
Even before 1999 there were plans to redesign the square. There were also suggestions for an underground car park. However, the planned measures were filed in 1999. The main point of criticism was always the construction of the underground car park.
In 2007 the city council resumed planning with Mayor Ulrich Netzer . At the end of 2008 a "planning workshop" took place, at which around 200 citizens made suggestions. Several plans were presented in June 2009. Some considerations included a garage. By August 2009, the opponents of the underground car park had proposed a referendum . In June 2011 the city council voted for this.
Big criticism came in part from the citizens and the taxpayers' association . The estimated costs for the conversion, which included a garage, amounted to 7.10 million euros, dispensing with the garage would only result in total costs of 2.70 million euros. The construction of an underground car park was scheduled for the period 2013 to 2015. Delays due to possible archaeological finds were not taken into account. Construction without an underground car park would take from 2013 to 2014. During the planned renovation, it was also planned to dispense with parking spaces. With an underground car park, you would have had to do without some of the previous 183 spaces. The underground car park would have 40 spaces in the open air and 142 in the garage. A parking space without a garage would have a total of 88 parking spaces.
On April 10, 2011, the desired referendum took place in Kempten. The question was asked whether an underground car park should be built under the newly designed Hildegardplatz. The count resulted in a rejection of around 75% with a participation of 37%.
Criticisms of the garage
In the debate before the referendum, critics said that the church, standing on alluvial sand, could be damaged. The taxpayers' association also questioned the high costs. Sometimes local shops expressed criticism that the construction would take too long and that the shops would have to make financial losses.
In the opinion of the proponents, the elimination of the parking space would mean that there would be too little parking space to make the area attractive for businesses and potential customers.
Rescheduling of the space design
After the referendum, as before, the planned design of the square was seen as unsuccessful. The city then publicly involved citizens on Hildegardplatz to create suggestions and wishes for a new Hildegardplatz. The results were then presented on November 9, 2011.
At the beginning of 2012, three proposals were presented to the public. The population was involved in the last improvements to the plans. When choosing from the last three drafts, the committee was guided by the will of the citizens as well as the market traders who also have their special needs. In June 2012 a sample area was created on the square with the possible stone covering.
Construction work
.JPG)
Construction work began on the square at the end of 2012. Right at the beginning, they came across the Schlangenbach, part of the early long-distance water supply in Kempten . The material used for the Bach Canal was in particular Nagelfluh . On top of it lay massive stone slabs which, according to multiple requests from the citizens, should represent the course of the canal as a reminder on the surface of the square. Other finds were horse stables below the church hill, two massive well foundations and remains of previously unknown medieval buildings.
The work was originally supposed to be finished in the middle of 2013; the official opening of Hildegardplatz finally took place on April 11, 2014.
During the construction work in early 2013 there was an allegedly unexpected "cost explosion" which is why some work, such as a kiosk on the square, is not carried out. Estimated costs of around 3.75 million euros, calculations in 2013 resulted in costs of around 5 million euros after the work was advertised to companies.
Time capsule
On April 8, 2013, a time capsule with historical documents was sunk into the floor of Hildegardplatz during the official groundbreaking ceremony. The city of Kempten, the city management and the Allgäuer Zeitung had called on interested citizens to nominate written documents, stories of experiences or memories, etc. A constituent element of the time capsule was the Kempten City Lexicon - the expression of one hundred selected Wikipedia articles on Kempten.
Events
Various events take place on Hildegardplatz every year. On the one hand, there is the city festival, and on the other, there are open-air concerts . The Boss Hoss performed on July 14th, 2012, accompanied by Antenne Bayern .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Christine Tröger: New old well. In: Kreisbote.de, November 23, 2012 (accessed on August 22, 2017)
- ^ Well foundations uncovered on Hildegardplatz. In: kempten.de, November 26, 2012 (accessed on August 22, 2017)
- ↑ a b c Allgäuer Zeitung, November 10, 2011.
- ^ Ballot from the referendum of April 10, 2011.
- ↑ Reasons and goals of the Hildegardplatz initiative ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (accessed on November 9, 2011)
- ↑ all-in.de: dispute over the design of Hildegard place in Kempten. ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. March 30, 2011. (accessed November 9, 2011)
- ↑ kempten.de: Over 200 citizen contributions to the “Market of Opinions” on the future design of Hildegardplatz (accessed on November 9, 2011)
- ↑ Construction site information - redesign of Hildegardplatz . City of Kempten. December 17, 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2014: “14. April 2014 - Opening: "A place for people". "
- ↑ Under the earth. In: Allgäuer Zeitung. April 9, 2013, p. 31.
- ↑ Cowboys in the shadow of the basilica in Kempten. ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. In: all-in.de , July 12, 2012, accessed on July 14, 2012.
Web links
Coordinates: 47 ° 43 ′ 41 ″ N , 10 ° 18 ′ 39.7 ″ E