Kurhaus Wiesbaden

The Kurhaus the Hessian capital Wiesbaden is one of the most magnificent Festbauten Germany. It is the social center of the spa town of Wiesbaden and offers numerous events a representative frame. In addition to a large and a small banquet hall, it houses the spa gastronomy Gerd Käfer and Roland Kuffler GmbH & Co as well as the Casino Wiesbaden.

Location

The Kurhaus Wiesbaden is the center of Wiesbaden Kurecks at the end of the Wilhelmstrasse.

Outside the main entrance ( west side ) is the so-called Bowling Green, one of the English spa guests at the time so baptized lawn with two fountains, surrounded by theater or Kurhauskolonnaden and formerly one row of old plane trees. This area has been underpinned in the years 2004-2006 with an underground garage. Before that were all, in part was no longer safe, plane like. They were after completion of the building replaced by a double row of each newly planted plane trees. The Southern Theater colonnades are part of the Hessian State Theatre, in the northern Kurhauskolonnaden - 129 m longest columned hall in Europe - the Small Game ( slot machines ) is housed the casino. The Kurhaus is - viewed from the Wilhelmstrasse from - the splendid conclusion of the bowling greens.

Behind the Kurhaus ( east side ) of the elongated spa begins with bandstand and pond ( fountain ).

History

Wiesbaden's importance as a spa town looks back on a long history. Already the Romans knew the thermal springs of Wiesbaden. Even the name, Wiesbaden ', emerged from Wisibada - the bathroom in the meadows - reveals the notoriety of the Wiesbaden-based sources in the Middle Ages.

When at the beginning of the 19th century, the cure has become increasingly popular as Amüsementbetrieb the upper strata of society and the nobility, the importance of Wiesbaden grew.

In 1810, the first, the so-called Old Kurhaus of Christian Zais was built. This was a nice, but relatively modest building with a columned portico in classical style. Johann Wolfgang Goethe praised the building at one of his many stays.

Wiesbaden won as a spa town in the 19th century always greater prestige: the number of spa visitors rose from 20,000 in 1840 to ten times in 1910, the population grew in the same period from 10,000 to 100,000 in 1906 From about 1852 people wore proudly. . Title world spa and had soon overtaken as the most important spa town of Baden- Baden in Germany.

This eventually required a larger, more modern and more representative Kurhaus. In the years 1905-1907 the old spa house was demolished, and the architect Friedrich von Thiersch erected in its place for six million gold marks a new magnificent building in the style of neo-classicism with Art Nouveau motifs. Kaiser Wilhelm II, who in May came every year to visit and promoted the construction, called him during his opening "the most beautiful spa in the world".

Since the two are mainly named after the builders of the great halls - used the larger Friedrich-von - Thiersch -Saal and the smaller Christian - Zais -Saal for numerous events.

Since 1949 the former wine hall the Great Game of the Wiesbaden Casino is housed.

In the 1980s the building was extensively renovated subjected and equipped with modern conference technology.

The entablature above the columns in the Friedrich-von - Thiersch - hall bears the following all-round latin inscription:

"IMP Guilelmo II AEDEM ANTE HOS CENTUM Annos CONSTITUTAM UT RECREARENTUR AEGROTANTES A SOLO IN MELIOREM statum ET ASPECTUM REFECERUNT EXORNAVERUNTQUE ORDO ET CIVES Mattiaci HYGIEAE consecrata EST IPSO -present IMPERATORE ANNO P CHR N MCMVII FUNDITUS RESTITUTA ANNO P CHR N MCMLXXXVII "

" Under the reign of Kaiser Wilhelm II, the Council and the citizens of the city of Wiesbaden, Kurhaus, which had been built a hundred years ago, so that the sick are healed, built and decorated from scratch in better condition and appearance. It is the goddess Hygieia consecrated in the presence of the emperor in 1907 after the birth of Christ. It was thoroughly restored in 1987. "

Architecture

The Kurhaus Wiesbaden consists of two equal-sized wings. The south wing of the large columnar -lined banquet hall is centrally ( Friedrich-von - Thiersch -Saal ) housed with its parquet and first rank. The concert and event hall has 1350 seats and measures 40 x 18 x 17 m.

At its top end, the south wing Finally, there is the Muschelsaal. The original "Southern Reading Room" was fitted by Art Nouveau painter Fritz Erler and Alexander von Salzmann with frescoes and decorated with pebbles and shells as symbols for water and earth. Several smaller saloons, named after Carl Schuricht, Carl von Ibell, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Hey'l Ferdinand and the Kaiser Wilhelm offer, designed differently, space for events. A conservatory closes the southern wing back from the spa park.

The north wing houses the smaller ballroom ( Christian - Zais -Saal ), the restaurant 's Beetle and the casino ( Casino ) with their Big game ( roulette, blackjack, poker).

The foyer is located between north and south wings in the form of a large hall, topped by a 21 m high dome. This room is entered through the main entrance is located on the west side, on the opposite side of the output to the spa park. Made the main entrance of an ionic portico, whose beams the inscription Aquis Mattiacis (Latin for " the waters of the Mattiaci [ consecrated ]") is wearing, which is reminiscent of the Roman name for the located on the site of the present Wiesbaden warm springs. The portico is the culmination of the 128 m long west façade.

In the dome space of the foyer are in front of the four wall massifs of life-size replicas of statues of gods above them round mosaic medallions with colored representations of the Roman pantheon.

Kurhaus foyer with mosaic medallions

Dome in the foyer, 2005

Look at the Christian - Zais -Saal, 2007

Glass window in the south area

Diana

Neptune

Venus

Events

The spa has seen many major national and international events such as concerts, balls and conventions. Moreover, various Wiesbaden-based public companies hold their annual general meeting from there.

Before the Kurhaus - on the bowling green - there was also already many open-air concerts. The Kurhaus is thereby effectively used as a backdrop.

Also the spa gardens behind the Kurhaus is - increasingly used for larger events - in addition to the Sunday concerts in the band shell. In 1954, an organ of the company Steinmeyer ( Oettingen, Bayern) has been installed. This replaced the destroyed in WW2 Sauer organ from 1907. Organ curator since 1985, the architect Friedhelm Gerecke. After expansion in the years 1988 and 2010, the organ now has 51 registers and 3500 pipes. From 1987 to 2004 Hans Uwe Hielscher performed the duties of the Kurhaus organist. From 2004 to 2010 Thomas J. Frank worked as organist Kurhaus. In the year 2004/2005, the instrument was re- voiced and heard regularly since then in the evening and lunchtime concerts. In 2004, the Friends Kurhaus organ founded eV