Completion day

Tags

City Palace, Germany, Humboldt Forum, Lantern

Friday 29 May 2020, so this morning the final phase of assembling the Lantern and then lifting all 18 tons of it to the top of the Palace dome. A large crowd could be seen across the Spree River in central Berlin and across the street ( South side) of the Palace in front of the former Council of State of East Germany. Some special guests also on the former podium of the Memorial monument (now gone) to Kaiser Wilhelm I. Amongst them 43 yr old  H.I.H. Prince Georg Frederich of Prussia, who represents his Family the Hohenzollern Dynasty who ruled from 1400 to 1918.

The wind is an important factor in this operation, today it’s 22C and the wind is at 11Km so fairly low and safe. Here is a good picture of the giant crane on a flatbed truck which was brought in today around 6am. It will lift the lantern all the way to the top.

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The Lantern is made of copper, bronze and gold leaf.

Despite the delays all day, finally as the sun was setting on Berlin, the lantern was lifted up into the air and the bells of the Lutheran Cathedral on the North side of the Palace started to peel to mark the event.

 

The crazy re-building idea of Wilhelm Von Boddien started in 1995 and it is complete today. I am sure he was pleased today to see his dream come to fruition. Today for the first time since 1944 the palace is reborn and completes the urban idea for central Berlin of Frederick II of Prussia surrounded by all the other buildings built during his reign in the Baroque style.

 

23:45 Berlin time

Tags

Architecture, art., City Palace, Hohenzollern, Humboldt Forum, Prussia

Because of the size of the lantern to be hoisted on top of the dome of the City Palace as of 6am on Friday 29 May, if the winds are calm, it was transported late this evening in 2 sections, bottom and top on large flatbed trucks through the streets of Berlin. It will stay in the front yard of the City Palace until Friday.

Here is a webcam shot take as it arrives at the Palace. This is the top part which is shame like Palm leaves.

this is the bottom part with balustrade, missing here are the 8 winged angels as caryatid holding up the top part with palm leaves and the gold plated cross. Probably will be brought tomorrow for the final assembly of all parts.

Will look for it in day light tomorrow to have a better view of the area.

I also found this photo of the artists/workers applying the gold leaf to the lettering around the blue ring at the base of the dome which is visible from afar. Friedrich August Stüler (28 January 1800 – 18 March 1865) was an influential Prussian architect and builder. The dome of the palace is his creation.

King Frederich Wilhelm IV was an evangelical Lutheran and a staunch conservative, unlike his uncle Frederich II the Great, who did not bother much with religion, his political decision in 1845 had repercussions on the history of Prussia and Germany for 100 years. This is an amalgamation of passages in Acts 4:12 and Philippians 2.9-11 the inscription says:

There is no other salvation, there is no other name given to men so that at the name of Jesus, in honor of the Father, every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth.  

 

More photos

Tags

Brandenburg, City Palace, Germany, Hohenzollern, Humboldt Forum, Prussia

The project of rebuilding the City Palace in Berlin is now coming to a close. Though a few days ago it was announced that there will be a delay to opening up the new museum because of Covid19 only 70% of workers are accessing the site at this time, social distancing etc. On the web cam you can see that all the workers outside are keeping a good distance from each other. Inside the building is pretty much completed what is missing now are the technical permissions from inspectors, sign off on all phases of this project and that is another delay. Given that this is a massive project and with many technical aspects, I am not surprised.

Here are photos of the completed dome minus the famous lantern on top which is coming in a few weeks to be installed by helicopter. I still want to see that and there will be a YouTube video about it for sure, not everyday you install a 16 ton lantern all the way up there.

Another fantastic project under way now, in Russia this time, is the completion of the renovations at the Alexander Palace in Tsarkoe Selo near St-Pertersburg.

The palace was the last residence of Tsar Nicholas II and his family before their arrest and deportation to their place of execution. He and his family have been rehabilitated by the Russian authorities and deemed victims of Bolchevik terror in 1918. The restoration required an army of gifted artisans to recreate rooms from rumble. Though in that typical ghoulish aspect of Bolchevik thinking every object belonging to the Imperial family was saved and warehoused and archived.

I will put up some photos of that restoration, it is quite marvellous, so much hard work, the Palace is re-opening to visitors in 2022.

Berlin the copper clad dome of the City Palace free of its scaffolding.

This morning 13 May, view from the Crown Prince Palais. The blue ring inscription around the dome is a prayer to God, the dome area was a Lutheran Chapel.

A closer view from the Commandature Palace, housing Bertelsmann a media, services and education company that operates in about 50 countries around the world. It includes the broadcaster RTL Group. This company had the former palace of the Commandant of the guards re-built on Unter Den Linden avenue some 10 years ago.

View of the North Side of the City Palace from the Lust Garden. In this reconstruction of the Palace a restaurant has been added on the roof, it should have quite a nice view of the city. Looks like Spring has arrived in Berlin, the Linden trees are in leaf.

 

16 tons

Tags

City Palace, Germany, Humboldt Forum, Prussia

I did not know that you could lift with a giant helicopter some 16 tons. This is the weight of the Lantern to be installed on top of the dome, some 350 feet above ground, a delicate installation. Military grade helicopters can lift much more.

At the end of May this is what is schedule to happen, the lantern on the dome of the City Palace will be lifted up and delicately lowered and installed. The requirement is for a windless day, a certain stillness in the air so to speak. I am sure it will be quite the show to see this happen. It is also not clear how they will get the Lantern to the City Palace. The workshop is at some distance. Will they fly it over by helicopter to the site? Possibly.

Here is a photo in the workshop with the balustrade and one bronze angel assembled. The entire Lantern is over 35 feet in height. This photo does not give a correct appreciation of the size of this Lantern which will sit at the top of the dome.

You may recall that in an earlier post I mentioned that in rebuilding the City Palace in Berlin now known as the Humboldt Forum, it was important to involve the general public and reflect the historical past of Berlin from 1445.  It was King Frederick Wilhelm IV (1795-1861) who was a very religious man, who had the dome designed along Christian iconography. It is in direct contrast with the other palace courtyard with Greek gods of antiquity designed earlier by architect/sculptor Andreas Schlüter (1664-1714) who worked for the Prince Elector Frederick I. In the case of the Schlüterhof all the statues will be installed later this Summer I believe there is 12 total, all newly sculpted to replace the original which were badly damaged in 1945 which are now installed in a gallery of the Humboldt Forum museum.

 

The little film below show above the main entrance portico of the Honour Courtyard four statues representing Christian Virtues, each 3 meter tall, reproductions in Sandstone from photos and drawings. Faith, Love, Prayer, Hope, Christian virtues King Frederick Wilhelm IV wanted represented. It was part of his very conservative mindset.

Here is a little film on their installation recently in German with English subtitles.

An accident

Tags

City Palace, Hohenzollern, Humboldt Forum, museum, Prussia

This morning at 10 am Berlin local time an accident happened at Portal I of the City Palace in Berlin.  As they are completing the construction and are doing paving and landscaping this week, a tar spreader broke down , there was a fire and a gas tank exploded. Luckily only one employee was slightly injured, some 80 firemen came to the site, the fire was put out in 20 minutes and the building only has soot traces with no damage. This project has been 20 years in the making at a cost of 750 Million Euros.

It looked bad from the air and the black smoke could be seen all over central (mitte) Berlin. The project has been slowed down because of the pandemic and a shortage of 200 workers is not helping. Opening day remains September 2020.

 

 

Opening Fall of 2020

Tags

City Palace, Germany, Hohenzollern, Humboldt Forum

Every day I peruse various German language sites to read and look at pictures of the reconstruction of the City Palace in Berlin now called the Humboldt Forum. One major element is missing and will be put into place in the next few weeks, that is the lantern on top of the dome of the palace.

The Palace was first started as a Residence in 1445 to house the Prince Elector of Brandenburg, then in 1701 Frederick I crowned himself King in Prussia (not of) to avoid antagonizing more powerful rulers and proclaimed his lands as the new Kingdom of Prussia. Then in 1870 Wilhelm I was proclaimed Emperor of Germany at the Palace of Versailles following his victory in the Franco-Prussian War, a war started by the machinations of Chancellor Bismarck which was supported secretly by Queen Victoria. His grandson Wilhelm II will as of 1890 remodel the palace and enlarge it into a grander palace. The Palace was used mostly as an Official Residence in Berlin, the ruler and the Hohenzollern family lived in Potsdam 28 Km from Berlin.

In November 1918 the Palace was attacked after the Kaiser abdicated and left in exile for for the Netherlands. In 1944-45 it was badly bombed and burnt and the Communist of East Germany demolished it in 1958 wanting to erase any trace of the former Kingdom of Prussia.

In 1999 Wilhelm Von Boddien a business man and culture buff suggested to friends that the palace should be rebuilt with public donations and government monies. One part of the site was occupied by the now defunct East German Parliament. He proposed to reclaim all the land once occupied by the City Palace and rebuild the palace as it was on the outside in the baroque style so it would match the rest of the neighbourhood and make of the palace inside a modern forum for world civilization along the ideas of german philosopher Humboldt and his brother. This project fitted into the new philosophy of the German Federal Republic of promoting the ideas of the age of Enlightenment.

The now demolished former GDR Parliament with the huge parking lot in front on the site occupied by the City Palace.

So in the Fall of 2020 the rebuilt palace will open to the public in its new vocation as a centre for world civilization and Berlin’s City Library, Conference Centre, University learning centre and restaurant. I wonder if they will invite HIH Prince Georg Frederich of Prussia who is head of the Hohenzollern Dynasty. Will have to wait and see.

Here are photos of the Lantern to be installed on the top of the dome this month.

The Lantern is made of Bronze and Copper, it cost 19 million Euros to rebuilt it, all from individual private donation. It is 25 feet in height, it has a religious symbolism to it because the dome use to house the Lutheran Chapel of the Palace. The dome itself was surrounded by statues of Old Testament Prophets. The angels support the crown which is palm leafs and the cross in bronze. Under the Monarchy, the Kaiser was also head of the Lutheran Church.

The inside of the dome Chapel in 1900, none of this will be recreated in the rebuilt palace. The use of this space is not clear at this time.

Inside the dome currently, it appears that it will remain this way, the room below the suspended ceiling can be used for exhibits.

The Bronze Lantern in pieces waiting to be assembled and installed on top of the dome.

The dome 37 metres in height itself covered in its new copper sheeting. Originally the German Federal Government was only willing to pay for a plain dome of  metal sheeting. Again the public stepped in and enough donations were received to have copper with the Oeil de boeuf installed all around. In total so far the public around the world has given 125 million Euros for this reconstruction.  The total cost of rebuilding the City Palace is 750 Million Euros. It is the largest construction project in Germany today.

The Western facade Portal III (main gate of the City palace)

The South facade of the City Palace across the street from the German Foreign Ministry.

I really want to return to Berlin to see this and other sites in the reborn city.

 

 

Photos

Tags

Architecture, Berlin, City Palace

Here are some photo old and new to give you an idea of what is happening at the City Palace Berlin now known as the Humboldt Forum set to open in September 2020.

This is the rebuilt City Palace, the South East corner. The photo below is the way it was prior to the Palace being bombed 1944 and destroyed 1958.

Same South East corner. The Eastern portion has a the private Palace garden with a fountain and the old quarters of 1445 where the Royal Family lived. The architect proposed the modern Eastern look to please the politicians in the Bundestag.

Here is a photo of Portal 1 on the South Side. It has been rebuilt exactly as it was. This photo dates from 1890. Note the two Grenadier guards and sentry boxes.

This photo is truly ancient around 1865 when the front Eosander portal (West) of the City Palace faced a row of houses which will be demolished around 1885 to make way for the monumental memorial to the first German Emperor Wilhelm I. The gate is also interesting, when this photo was taken it was the City Palace of the King of Prussia. Above the columned gateway there is no Coat of Arms and 4 statues are missing a top the columns. Kaiser Wilhelm II will have modifications made to make this portal more grand befitting his new station in life as Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia.

The memorial to his grandfather was demolished by the Communist government in 1958 and will not be rebuilt in the current plan.

The monument is like a seesaw to symbolize German Unity and people will be able to walk on it as it rocks back and forth. Quite the modern concept.

 

A view

Tags

baroque, Berlin, City Palace, Frederick II, Humboldt Forum

One of the great avenues of the world, Unter den Linden (under the linden tree), love walking down this avenue from the Brandenburg Gate to the Island where all the museums and City Palace is located. The avenue is lined with palaces, a University, Opera house, Embassies and 5 star Hotels.

A lot of work has been done since 1989 on the avenue. Including re-installing the old street light designed in the late 19th century at a cost of 60,000 Euros per . Here we see the equestrian statue of Frederick II The Great riding down the avenue. Originally this avenue was the ceremonial street starting at the Gate and ending at the Palace. It was also used to ride into the hunting grounds of the King of Prussia just beyond the Gate in the Tiergarten (520 acres) the best loved park of the city. The pink building in the photo was built by Frederick II it’s the StaatsOpern Berlin built in 1741 and completely restored in the last 5 years. Baroque building of the era usually have soft colors of pink or yellow. Interiors are painted in the favourite colours of Frederick II and used during his reign, green and gold, white and gold or black and gold. Those same colours found their way into his regimental flags. Frederick II is ever present in the centre of the City, he build and designed the whole area during his reign from 1740-1786.

the re-construction of the City Palace will be finished by the end of the year. It will house a museum, library, meetings rooms, conference halls, a restaurant and is now called the Humboldt Forum. A new subway station is also in the final stages behind those barricades.

One of the portals on the North Side of the Palace. Re-built with all of its baroque details.

the dome of the chapel with men working at preparing the footings to receive the Lantern decorated with angels which will be installed shortly once the dome’s covering in copper is completed.

Sketch of the Lantern atop the dome,

Interior portal in one of the interior court. The cartouche F R is for Fredericus Rex.

All the details and figurines you seen are giant and sculpted in sandstone as were the originals.

I hope to return to Berlin for a visit in 2021.

 

 

 

 

Progress

Tags

City Palace, Germany, Hohenzollern, Humboldt Forum, museum

For the last 20 years I have been following the progress of the re-building of the old Royal Palace in Berlin. It stood in the centre of the City on the Island Museum from 1445 to 1944 when heavy fire bombing over the city at the end of the Second World War did great damage to it. After 1946 the Palace was in the Soviet Occupied Zone of Berlin it came under the puppet East German Regime and like so many buildings deem ideologically unacceptable it was demolished in the 1950’s, the ground became a parking lot and stage for military parade the Communist loved so much. There was opposition in Berlin and in Germany to the demolition of the Palace and its ruins, the palace was so well built that it took months to demolish and 19 tons of explosives. It was and had been a symbol of the city and much history was attached to it.

In 1989 with re-unification of Germany a fellow by the name of Wilhelm von Boddien proposed that the Palace be re-built as it was before the war with its Baroque facade, he further proposed that the palace be renamed Humboldt Forum for the famous German scientists and academics, the interior space would be modern and house a museum of civilizations, conference centre, 2 restaurants, a theatre and be used as a gathering place for all Germans. The financing of 750 Million Euros to be divided between the City of Berlin, the Federal Government of Germany and the public as donors.

In December 2018 here is the almost complete Palace now called Humboldt Forum, it will  re-open in the Summer of 2019.

The Western Facade of the Palace as of December 16, 2018.

The Eastern facade, modern as designed by the Italian Architect with its entrance of the Spree river. It was designed this way to symbolize that it is a reconstruction and a view on the future. The Palace sits next to the Lutheran Cathedral of Berlin on Island Museum.

For the opening of the Humboldt Forum it is likely that the current head of the Imperial Hohenzollern Family of Germany, Prince Georg Frederich of Prussia will be attending. He is the cousin of Prince Harry and Prince William of Great Britain. His great grand father Kaiser Wilhelm II was the favourite grandson of Queen Victoria.

 

 

Berlin City Palace tour

Tags

Capital, City Palace, Germany, Hohenzollern

This past weekend in Berlin a special opening tour of the City Palace for curious Berliners. This project is nearing completion after 18 years of preparation and work. The former City Palace of the Kings of Prussia and Emperors of Germany was very badly damaged in 1944. After the war the old Palace was now in Communist East Berlin, like most of all the great buildings of the German Capital. The Communist leadership decided in the 1950’s to destroy what was left, despite the fact the could have restored it. Since there had been a palace on the site for 500 years, the population was not happy with this decision. For decades the area the size of 3 football fields was a parking lot and parade ground for East German troops.

After German re-unification in 1989, the idea of re-building the City Palace was put forward and the plan was approved by the Federal Government of Germany, the City of Berlin and the State of Brandenburg. The financing budgeted at 800 million Euros is shared amongst levels of government and the public donations of 105 million Euros to re-build the South, North and Western facade in the Baroque style of the 18th century. The Eastern facade is modern as will be the interior. The old rooms of the palace will not be re-built as they are now dedicated to show the collections of diverse cultures, there will be a restaurant on the roof, lecture halls, a library and concert hall.

By re-building the City Palace it completes the architectural ensemble of the heart of the City as envisioned by Frederick II of Prussia (1712-1786). Because they are Baroque facades on three sides, every element had to be carved by hand and in some cases gilded. The gilded balcony railings and many roof statues still have to be installed and the great dome and lantern need to be completed as is the landscaping.

The opening of the Humboldt Forum as the City Palace is now called is scheduled for Summer 2019. Situated next to the Lutheran Cathedral of Berlin and Imperial Mausoleum to the Hohenzollern Family and all the museums containing the wonderful collections, Unter den Linden avenue, and all the other palaces and university of the city is will certainly be a magnet.