Merkel's swimming pool
The Merkel'sche swimming pool , an indoor swimming pool in Esslingen am Neckar , is one of the last surviving Art Nouveau indoor swimming pools in Germany and was built from 1905 to 1907 according to the design and implementation plans of the Giessen architect Hans Meyer .
The bath was donated for the population by the factory owner Oskar Merkel ; he then received the honorary citizenship of the city of Esslingen. In addition to a swimming pool, it also offered showers and bathtubs for workers whose homes normally did not have a bathroom at that time.
The building was redesigned in the 1960s and a sports pool and a teaching pool were added; In the course of the renovation, the ceiling was suspended, thereby impairing the original architectural concept.
In the course of renewed renovation work, which was largely completed in 2006, the Art Nouveau elements were returned to their original state - as far as possible - and the bathing and wellness offers were adapted to current needs. In the warm bathing hall, mineral water heated to 34 ° C is now used, which was uncovered when drilling new holes.
In the hall you can see the original high stucco ceiling and a stained glass window showing an Italian coastal landscape. The six-lane sports pool has been preserved as it was built in the 1960s and has also been provided with colorful glass windows. The teaching pool is still available for non-swimmers.
facade
Mosaic decorations on the facade
Skylight with mermaids
Bird statue as crowning of the gable
Plastic jewelry over the entrance
literature
- Rainer Smile: Merkel's swimming pool in Esslingen. From public bath to wellness oasis. Markstein-Verlag for cultural and economic history, Filderstadt 2007.
Web links
Coordinates: 48 ° 44 ′ 16 " N , 9 ° 18 ′ 43.6" E