Johann Friedrich Christian Hess

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Johann Friedrich Christian Hess

Johann Friedrich Christian Hess (sometimes Hess ) (* 6. March 1785 in Kirchheim on the wine route , † 21st August 1845 in Frankfurt am Main ) was a German architect of classicism and 1816 to 1843, succeeding his father Johann Georg Christian Hess City architect of Frankfurt am Main.

life and work

Hess was born in Kirchheim an der Weinstrasse, where his father was a building inspector at the time, but came to Frankfurt am Main as early as 1787. He studied from 1802 to 1804 at the École polytechnique in Paris . After completing his studies, he undertook several extensive study trips through Italy before he became an adjunct in Frankfurt in 1815 and succeeded his father as city architect on January 26, 1816. Hess was a co-founder and respected member of numerous Frankfurt institutions, including the Frankfurter Museumsgesellschaft (1808) and the Polytechnic Society (1816). On April 15, 1807, he was accepted as a member of the Frankfurt Freemason Lodge Zur Einigkeit, of which his father was already one of the brothers, after he had previously been accepted into the Freemasons ' League during his studies in Paris or Italy .

As early as 1809, his father Christian Hess had designed a new building statute for Frankfurt, which was put into effect by the then Grand Duke of Frankfurt Carl Theodor von Dalberg . This included the development plans for the new districts in the west, north and east of the city that were created after the old Frankfurt city fortifications were razed. All houses had to be built according to the principles of classicism in simple, symmetrical forms. The architectural elements that were characteristic of Frankfurt in the past - steep gable roofs , dwelling houses , overhangs, bay windows and mansards - were banned. Until 1815, however, the high contributions that Frankfurt had to make after the French occupation in 1792 and 1796, as well as the economic crisis in the wake of the continental blockade, prevented brisk construction activity. That changed when the city regained its independence as a Free City after the Congress of Vienna . During the 27 years of Christian Hess's tenure, a large number of public and private classical buildings were built. Many of these buildings were already lost during the founding period , others fell victim to the Second World War .

Honorary grave in the Frankfurt main cemetery

Hess retired in 1843 for health reasons and died on August 21, 1845 in Frankfurt. His grave is in the main cemetery (Gewann D, grave 457) and is now a grave of honor . As a cultural monument, it is under monument protection . He was married to Johanna Neuburg , a daughter of Johann Georg Neuburg .

Structures preserved or restored

Untermainkai 4 from the southeast, August 2010

literature

Web links

Commons : Johann Friedrich Christian Hess  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Roland Hoede: The Paulskirche as a symbol. Quatuor Coronati, Bayreuth and Frankfurt am Main 1999, p. 22 f.
personal data
SURNAME Hess, Johann Friedrich Christian
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Hess, Johann Friedrich Christian
BRIEF DESCRIPTION City architect in Frankfurt am Main
DATE OF BIRTH March 6, 1785
PLACE OF BIRTH Kirchheim an der Weinstrasse
DATE OF DEATH August 21, 1845
Place of death Frankfurt am Main