Town Hall (Apolda)
| Apolda town hall | |
|---|---|
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| Data | |
| place | Apolda |
| Construction year | 1558/1559 |
| height | 17.20 m to the roof ridge 31 m to the top of the tower m |
| Floor space | 322 m² |
| Coordinates | 51 ° 1 '21.7 " N , 11 ° 30' 48.3" E |
The Apolda town hall is one of the oldest buildings in the city. It is one of the main landmarks and formative buildings of the city of Apolda and is still used today as the town hall building. The two-storey building in Renaissance style was built on the east side of the market in 1558/1559 and is the seat of the city administration in the district town of Apolda.
history
Old Town Hall
Apolda received city rights towards the end of the 13th century . As a result, a town hall was built in the middle of the market square around 1336. As the city was suppressed by the Vitzthumen and therefore had little financial means, only a small building was built. It possessed "town hall freedom", which means that in small disputes the councilors could speak the law independently of the castle or sovereign. The roof was covered with shingles . During the annual markets, goods were also offered for sale in the town hall. In 1507, the town hall and the entire town were pledged by Christoph von Vitzthum against a loan of 600 guilders to the Heusdorf monastery . In one letter it says:
"Already at the end of the 13th century, the then still quite small Apolda had a town hall, although the town surrounded by a wall only had 160 inhabitants and only included the market square and the alleys around it with the Rittergasse as the main street ..."
new town hall
A few years later, the town hall no longer met the requirements. The chronicler Julius Konstantin Kronfeld characterized the town hall with the words "old, dilapidated and also small". Thus, in the years 1558/1559, a new town hall building was built on the east side of the market square. The two dates are also embedded in the town hall tower. At the same time, the old town hall in the middle of the market square was demolished. Two courtyards on the market had to give way for this new building. They had previously been purchased by the city for 300 guilders . The demolition of the old town hall resulted in an enlargement of the market square, so that more favorable conditions existed for market life. The actual construction costs were around 3000 guilders. This sum was a great burden for the city, which could only be removed over a longer period of time. In 1573 Apolda still had to pay interest of around 800 guilders. A document dated April 24, 1558 states:
“After the mercy Rathe and the whole congregation made the urgent need to build a town hall, and the opportunity to build another one at the previous town was not at all beneficial, therefore the congregation and the council at the noble, Gestrengen and Ehrenvesten Christoph von Vitzthum sambt acquired his body and man's heir, our hereditary lords submissive request, that they did the council and the community the favor, that they allowed two court towns, located to the town hall ... to build a house on them, let, praised and promised . "
After 110 years, the town hall received a stately tower in 1669, in which a tower clock and bells were installed. The rigid, large bell hung under the spire and was struck from the outside with a hammer on the hour, while the smaller bell hung in an opening in the tower wall and heralded the market hours. It also served to warn citizens of fires and similar disasters. Four years later there was a city fire in Apolda, which also affected the town hall. It was therefore rebuilt in 1673/1674. On June 4, 1674, the town hall was rebuilt and ready for occupancy. The cost of the reconstruction amounted to 1435 thalers . A prison cell was set up under the spiral staircase of the tower. On the left side of the tower was the council cellar and above it the council chamber. The council scales had been set up in the town hall since 1667, and were of great importance for buying and selling on the market. Below this room was the dance floor, on which the traders offered their goods at the various fairs. From 1771, the " Türmer " kept watch on the town hall tower , in order to ensure that the mayor was notified quickly, especially if a fire broke out. The tower keeper also held the office of “city music” to supplement the low annual salary. The tower keeper lived in the town hall tower between the clock and the bell.
The Ratskeller was housed in the lower vault for more than 300 years and was closed in 1890. It was one of the most important sources of income for the city, as the management had been taken over by the citizens and council members themselves. The Ratskeller was privileged for a long time . No other public houses were allowed in the city. Later the Ratskeller no longer met the requirements and was no longer profitable, as several bars had already opened in the neighborhood. The council dance hall and a guardroom were also located on the upper floor. From 1850 on, the justice office was also on the upper floor, as it was relocated from Niederroßla to Apolda. There was a prison in the tower. At the end of the 19th century the old clock had to be replaced due to weather wear. The new watch has an eight-day mechanism and a quarter-hour strike.
In the years 1867/1868 the town hall building was extended after an old building on the neighboring property in Schleiergasse was demolished. The main purpose of the expansion was to accommodate the savings bank there, which from 1910 had its headquarters in the town hall . During the First World War , the bell that was cast in 1667 was removed from the town hall tower and, like many other bells, was melted down and given to the metal collection point for 297 marks. A court bell from the Niedermühle was provided as a replacement. This bell was also replaced in 1920 by a bell from the Schilling foundry. Around 1939, the Markt 2 building was also taken into municipal use and connected to the town hall by a passage.
Renovations and reconstructions
Renovation work was carried out on the building in 1957 and 1969. The tower clock was given a new dial, the stairs at the tower entrance and the tower balcony were renewed. In addition, new window sills and the city coat of arms in a modernized form were used on the right side of the tower . In 1559 the old coat of arms had already been placed over the tower entrance. The outside facade of the town hall was cleaned. The Markt 3 property, on which the house was demolished at the end of the 1950s and the property was leveled and has since served as a parking lot for the council staff, was also given a boundary wall facing the market.
In 1998/1999 various reconstruction works were carried out on the town hall building. Only minor changes were made on the 1st floor. According to historical photos, the main entrance of the town hall was moved to the right wing of the building. Historical details found during the measures, such as a wall arch on the upper floor or a Renaissance portal, were uncovered and restored. A year later, the extension of the town hall in Schleiergasse was extensively reconstructed and modernized. In the same year, on April 12, 1945, a memorial plaque was unveiled in the foyer during a ceremony on the occasion of the surrender of the city to the 76th Infantry Division of the 3rd US Army on April 12, 1945.
In 2001 the building's courtyard building was extensively renovated and the entrance hall of the town hall was redesigned towards the end of the year. Since then, the “Tourist Information” has been housed in the foyer, which is divided by a glass wall. Since November 11, 2003, a large book has been installed in the town hall foyer, which was written and drawn by hand. It contains information on the city's economic situation in 2003. The book has 16 pages.
See also
literature
- Kronfeld, Julius Constantin: History and description of the factory and trading town of Apolda and its immediate surroundings , Apolda 1871.
- Gollrad, Eva: History and description of the city of Apolda 1871–1990 , Apolda o. J., ISBN 3-00-002012-8
- Kulturbund der DDR, Kreisorganisation Apolda: 700 years of the city of Apolda - 1289 to 1989
- City of Apolda: 450 years Apolda town hall , Apolda 2009
