Woermannhaus (Swakopmund)
| Woermannhaus | |||
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National monument in Namibia 
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| Monument type | monument | ||
| location | Bismarckstrasse, Swakopmund | ||
| Geographic coordinates : | 22 ° 40 '45.5 " S , 14 ° 31' 27.8" E | ||
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| Emergence | 1894 | ||
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Recognized by the National Heritage Council |
December 10, 1971 | ||
| Deprivation | |||
| Sponsorship | City of Swakopmund | ||
| Website | NHC Namibia | ||
The Woermannhaus (rarely also Woermann-Haus ) in Swakopmund , Namibia is one of the oldest buildings in the city and one of its most visited landmarks.
The building complex was built in 1894 according to the plans of the architect Friedrich Höft in the historicizing half-timbered building style for the Hamburg freight forwarder Adolph Woermann and his German-Southwest African Damara and Namaqua Handelsgesellschaft mbH ( Woermann, Brock & Co from 1909 ). The complex consists of the main house, an inner courtyard and the so-called Damascus tower. The latter also served as a lookout point for incoming ships, as a water tower and as a flagpole . In 1903 and 1904 additional office space was added. The inner courtyard originally consisted of a lawn.
In 1921 the Woermannhaus was taken over by the South African administration, which used the building from 1924 to 1972 as a youth home. On December 10, 1971, the then run-down Woermannhaus was declared a monument by the Council for National Monuments and after extensive renovation and restoration work it was opened to the public on October 22, 1976. The interior was also largely preserved. On the eaves of the stairwell, which is accessible from the inner courtyard, two sayings can be read across the corner: "EVERYONE LEAVES TWO DOMES IN FRONT OF THE DOOR" and "IN THESE WALLS MAY LIVE ON". The Woermannhaus now houses, among other things, a library and a tourist information office.
literature
- Andreas Vogt : National Monuments in Namibia. An inventory of proclaimed national monuments in the Republic of Namibia. Gamsberg Macmillan, Windhoek 2004. ISBN 99916-0-593-2
- Chris Malitela: Historic Buildings in Swakopmund. Oasys Namibia, Swakopmund 2000.
Web links
- Official entry in the monument register (English)