Vesuvius from Wörlitz

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The Vesuvius from Wörlitz

The Vesuvius of Wörlitz is an artificial volcano in the Wörlitzer Park in Oranienbaum-Wörlitz , Saxony-Anhalt . He stands on the "rock island stone".

Historical background

The phenomenon of volcanism has always fascinated people. In Europe it was above all the Vesuvius , which after the resumption of its activities in December 1631 not only spread fear and horror, but also raised the question of the causes of the "fires" urging from the mountain among scholars. Older notions of a “hell fire” blazing in Vesuvius were increasingly being replaced by attempts at natural history, which saw the activities of the volcano as caused, for example, by chemical reactions when various elements meet. The fact that Naples had been an increasingly popular Grand Tour destination from the 17th century and that a climb to the top of the “Burning Mountain” was a must for travelers, fueled interest in the manifestations of volcanism among educated people across Europe . The construction of artificial volcanoes also belongs in this context. On the one hand, by simulating such eruptions, they should provide a “reasonable” explanation of volcanic manifestations. On the other hand - as in the face of real volcanoes - the joy of the spectacular of the event was also involved.

Artificial volcanoes

In this sense, the French chemist Nicolas Lémery made a name for himself in Paris around 1700 with Vulkan machines. His theory of a deflagration as a result of explosive chemical reactions was followed in 1741 by the travel writer Johann Georg Keyßler ( How to make a fire-spitting hill through art ) and in 1756 by the philosopher Immanuel Kant in his work On the causes of earth tremors . The Vesuvius researcher Sir William Hamilton , British ambassador to the Kingdom of Naples until 1799 , also constructed a "Vesuvian Apparatus", which, however, belongs more to the history of moving images. In addition, artificial Vesuve appeared as part of the fair and festival culture. When the Neapolitan King Ferdinand IV of Bourbon came to Florence in 1791 , an artificial Vesuvius was installed in his honor in the Cascine Park. Vesuvius eruptions were also among the attractions of various “pleasure gardens” in London, and a “terribly beautiful nature scene” with the “fire-spitting mountain Vesuvius” was performed on the Bremen Freimarkt in 1802 . An artificial Vesuvius was even available as a children's toy, for example in the Nuremberg toy catalog by Georg Hieronymus Bestelmeier (1803), which included “sparks made for this, which spit for a long time and in which rooms can be lit”.

The Wörlitz construction

On his trip to Italy in 1765/66, Prince Leopold III came. Friedrich Franz (Anhalt-Dessau) also to Naples; he made friends there with Sir William Hamilton and climbed Mount Vesuvius on February 28, 1766. After his return he commissioned the architect Friedrich Wilhelm von Erdmannsdorff (1736–1800) with the creation of a Neapolitan ambience in the park of his palace; the work was carried out in 1788–94. "Vesuvius" forms the center; A replica of Hamilton's “Villa Emma” on the Posillipo in Naples, a replica of the ancient theater of Herculaneum (which Prince Franz had also visited on his trip to Italy), a columbarium and that of Naples travelers are grouped around him ancient grotto by the Posillipo. The facility was surrounded by an artificial lake, possibly reminiscent of the Gulf of Naples . The "Vesuvius" itself was built from boulders , basalt and black Mansfeld cinder blocks, which are supposed to give the impression of lava . Inside the "mountain" there is a complicated system of passages, grottos and chambers that are reminiscent of the Herculaneum buried by Vesuvius. The rooms traditionally have different names ("Grotto of the Night"), the symbolic "meaning" of which remains a mystery to this day. On certain festive occasions, for example the Prince's birthday, “Vesuvius” was brought to “erupt”: a spectacle that the spectators could enjoy from boats. However, there is little precise historical information about this.

meaning

The “sense” of the unique complex cannot be clearly clarified, especially since there is no corresponding historical evidence (such as the prince's declarations of intent). It can be understood as a monumental Italian “travel souvenir”, as was not alien to the princely self-image in the age of absolutism . It is certainly also a homage to the Vesuvius explorer Sir William Hamilton, who works in Naples and is famous throughout Europe (which is also indicated by the replica of his villa). Finally - within the framework of the overall concept of the "garden realm" - it should also be remembered that Prince Franz, who adhered to the ideas of the Enlightenment , wanted to pay homage to "modern" volcanological and geological research with the artificial Vesuvius.

Renewal and today's situation

The "outbreak" 2005

After neglect and creeping deterioration of the complex, the "rock island Stein" was restored from 1999 with around 7.5 million euros. The funds were mainly made available by the Federal Republic of Germany, the State of Saxony-Anhalt and the "German Foundation for Monument Protection". In connection with this work, the historical “technology” of the plant was also researched. As part of the reopening of the "rock island Stein" from September 2nd to 4th, 2005, an "eruption" of "Vesuvius" was staged again for the first time, with the responsible fireworkers trying to follow the historical specifications of the 18th century as much as possible Century to orient. In addition to the rumble of thunder, black clouds of smoke and fireworks, the effect of an "outbreak" came about primarily from the fact that water, which had been pumped up from a hidden reservoir with a lift, flowed down the mountain from the mouth of an antique mask and was covered with Bengali Lights was illuminated.

The "Vesuvius of Wörlitz", today one of the many sights of the "Garden Realm", has since then been "erupted" at irregular intervals. In August 2020, pyrotechnics will no longer be used for the first time , as the masonry has been damaged by the previous "breakouts". Instead, light and sound technology should be used.

Web links

literature

  • Frank-Andreas Bechtold, Thomas Weiss (ed.): Weltbild Wörlitz. Exhibition catalog Wörlitz 1996.
  • Adolph Hartmann: The Wörlitzer Park and its art treasures. Berlin 1913 (reprint Koethen 1991).
  • Axel Klausmeier: Learning from the “stone”. A contribution to the variety of meanings of the "stone" in the Wörlitz complex . In: Die Gartenkunst  9 (2/1997), pp. 367–379.
  • Kulturstiftung Dessau-Wörlitz (ed.): The volcano in Wörlitzer Park. Nicolaische Verlagsbuchhandlung, Berlin 2005, ISBN 3-89479-268-X .
  • Alexandra Lübbert-Barthel: The wonder rock of Wörlitz. Fascination Vesuvius in the 18th century. Mitteldeutscher Verlag Halle (Saale) 2013, ISBN 978-3-89812-981-7
  • Friedrich Reil: Leopold Friedrich Franz von Anhalt-Dessau according to his nature and work. Dessau 1845 (reprint Wörlitz 1995).
  • Dieter Richter: Vesuvius. Story of a mountain. Wagenbach, Berlin 2007, ISBN 978-3-8031-3622-0 .
  • August von Rode : Description of the Princely Anhalt-Dessau country house and English garden in Wörlitz. Dessau 1814 (reprint Wörlitz 1996).
  • Thomas Weiss (Ed.): The Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz, cultural landscape on the Elbe and Mulde. 5th edition L - & - H-Verlag, Hamburg 2009, ISBN 978-3-939629-11-5 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Vesuvius, History of a Mountain. 2007, p. 122 ff.
  2. ↑ Vesuvius, History of a Mountain. 2007, p. 128.
  3. ↑ JG Keyßlers continuation latest travel. Hanover 1741, p. 228.
  4. ^ Kant's works. Academy edition, vol. 1, Berlin 1968, p. 422 f.
  5. ^ B. Sorensen: Sir William Hamilton´s Vesuvian Apparatus. In: Apollo Magazine. London May 1st 2004.
  6. ↑ The volcano in Wörlitzer Park. 2005, p. 23.
  7. ↑ L'Europa moderna. Cartografia urbana e vedutismo. Napoli 2002, p. 262 ff.
  8. ^ F. Peters: Freimarkt in Bremen. 2nd edition Bremen 1985, p. 102.
  9. ↑ GH Bestelmeier: magazine of various art and other useful things. Nuremberg 1803, No. 302. (Reprinted in Zurich 1979)
  10. ↑ R.-T. Speler (ed.), Friedrich Wilhelm von Erdmannsdorff: Art history journal of a princely educational trip to Italy 1765/66. Munich / Berlin 2001, pp. 218-221.
  11. ^ Art history journal of a princely educational trip to Italy 1765/66. 2001, p. 231.
  12. ↑ The volcano in Wörlitzer Park. 2005, p. 30.
  13. ↑ The volcano in Wörlitzer Park. 2005, p. 13.
  14. ↑ Antje Weiß: Vesuvius from Wörlitz continues to simmer. wochenspiegel-web.de of March 6, 2020, accessed on June 7, 2020

Coordinates: 51 ° 50 ′ 32.7 "  N , 12 ° 25 ′ 49.6"  E