Kurmainzer Amtshof

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The Kurmainzer Amtshof and the surrounding old town from above
Kurmainzer Amtshof

The Kurmainzer Amtshof is one of the castles and palaces in Hesse and is located in Heppenheim in the Bergstrasse district below the Starkenburg castle ruins .

history

In the late 14th century, the building in the shape of a pentagon made of quarry stone and half-timbering was built in a late Gothic style and further expanded. The Kurmainzer Amtshof was in the Upper Archbishopric of the Electorate of Mainz.

After the Thirty Years' War the complex was given up as an official court and in 1693 it was restored in a simplified manner.

On December 11 and 12, 1948, delegates from liberal party groups from the western zones of occupation gathered in the Amtshof (first in the Kurfürstensaal, later in the winery) and founded the nationwide FDP party . Here the later Federal President Theodor Heuss was elected first party chairman of the FDP. A bronze plaque with the image and a quote from Theodor Heuss at the entrance gate to the courtyard of the Amtshof commemorates this event. The reason for choosing Heppenheim as the founding site was the city's historical link to liberalism: as early as 1847, leading liberals met here (so-called " Heppenheim Conference ") to prepare for the National Assembly in Frankfurt's Paulskirche .

Architecture and expansion

The south front of the building is taken up by the main building, the Palas , and is two-story with rectangular windows on the courtyard side. The chapel tower protrudes strongly into the courtyard. A Gothic choir is located on the upper floor . In the 18th century the pediment of was gable roof of half-timbered restored. The polygonal stair tower forms the western end of the Palas to the Amtsgasse.

The wall paintings on the upper floor with angels holding coats of arms date from the 15th century and angels with musical instruments can be seen in the chapel choir.

A connection between the palas and the press house on the upper floor facing the courtyard is created by a wall with a battlement . The royal stables on the north side with a flight of stairs to the courtyard side dates from the 16th century.

Angel frescoes 1398

Todays use

Today the buildings are mainly used by the wine cooperative . The large ballroom ("Kurfürstensaal") is used by the city for receptions, but also for meetings of the city parliament. The "Kurfürstensaal" and the preceding "Wappensaal" can also be rented. The "Winzerstube" restaurant is located in the southern part of the building. In the Marstall (called "Eulenburg") and in the former tithe barn on the first floor there used to be a youth hostel. In this eastern part is now the city museum, in which original exhibits from the founding of the FDP can be seen. In addition, the East German culture and homeland room with the Schönebacher room is housed in the Amtshof. The former wine press house on the north side, which was built in 1610 using the western fortification wall, can now be used as a "wine tasting hall" for events.

literature

  • Rolf Müller (Ed.): Palaces, castles, old walls. Published by the Hessendienst der Staatskanzlei, Wiesbaden 1990, ISBN 3-89214-017-0 , pp. 170–172.

Web links

Coordinates: 49 ° 38 ′ 32.3 "  N , 8 ° 38 ′ 41.6"  E