Studnitz pyramid

Studnitz pyramid in Gotha

The Studnitz pyramid is a burial site that was built in 1770 by Oberhofmarschall Hans Adam von Studnitz in his garden in Gotha while he was still alive , and until then it was unique in post-ancient Europe. The pyramid is near the Ernestinum grammar school .

The Gotha court sculptor Friedrich Wilhelm Döll (1750–1816), a student of the famous French sculptor and Freemason Jean Antoine Houdon, is considered to be the builder of the grave pyramid made of Seeberg sandstone . To this day he is considered a classicist sculptor of supraregional rank. The pyramid was restored until 2001.

Only later was the shape of the pyramid for tombs, based on the Cestius pyramid in Rome, often taken up again in Classicism , for example by Antonio Canova when designing the tomb for Archduchess Marie Christine (built 1801–1805) or for the Karlsruhe pyramid (built 1823–1825 based on a design by Friedrich Weinbrenner ).