GERMANY - Town Hall and Roland on the Marketplace of Bremen

Postcard sent by Ventilatorkind on a Show your offer tag .

Sent- 15 de Agosto del 2015.

INSCRIPTION/INSCRITO: 2004

The Town Hall and the statue of Roland on the marketplace of Bremen in north-west Germany are outstanding representations of civic autonomy and sovereignty, as these developed in the Holy Roman Empire in Europe. The old town hall was built in the Gothic style in the early 15th century, after Bremen joined the Hanseatic League. The building was renovated in the so-called Weser Renaissance style in the early 17th century. A new town hall was built next to the old one in the early 20th century as part of an ensemble that survived bombardment during the Second World War. The statue stands 5.5 m tall and dates back to 1404. The Town Hall and Roland on the marketplace of Bremen in north-west Germany are an outstanding representation of the civic autonomy and market rights as they developed in the Holy Roman Empire in Europe. The Old Town Hall was built as a Gothic hall structure in the early 15th century, and renovated in the so-called Weser Renaissance style in the early 17th century. A New Town Hall was built next to the old one in the early 20th century as part of an ensemble that survived the bombardments during the Second World War.

The Old Town Hall is a two-storey hall building with a rectangular floor plan, 41.5 m by 15.8 m. It is described as a transverse rectangular Saalgeschossbau (i.e. a multi-storey construction built to contain a large hall). The ground floor is formed of one large hall with oak pillars; it served for merchants and theatrical performances. The upper floor has the main festivity hall of the same dimensions. Between the windows, there are stone statues representing the emperor and prince electors, which date from the original Gothic period, integrated with late-Renaissance sculptural decoration symbolising civic autonomy. Underground, the town hall has a large wine cellar with one hall in the dimensions of the ground floor with stone pillars, which was later extended to the west and is now used as a restaurant.

In the 17th century, the Town Hall was renovated, and out of the eleven axes of the colonnade the three middle ones were accentuated by a bay construction with large rectangular windows and a high gable, an example of the so-called Weser Renaissance. An elaborate sculptural decoration in sandstone was added to the façade, representing allegorical and emblematic depictions.

The New Town Hall was the result of an architectural competition, designed by Gabriel von Seidl from Munich, and built between 1909 and 1913. The stone statue of Roland was initially erected in 1404 in representation of the rights and privileges of the free and imperial city of Bremen. The statue of Roland is associated with the Margrave of Brittany, a paladin of Charlemagne.

Thank you Lidia!