GOLDSCHMIEDE HAUS – HANAU
German Goldsmiths House Renaissance on the Grimm Trail
It
was originally the Town Hall of the old city of Hanau in Hesse. Located
in the heart of the old city on the Market Square (Altastadter Markt),
the Goldschmeidhaus was built between 1537 and 1538 in the half-timber
construction of the Late Renaissance Period. It was replaced as the city
hall in 1730 when the growing town expanded into new space. The new city
hall (okay, another old one, now hiding the brand new modern one where
the tourist office is), on the square a few blocks away on the main shopping
street is fronted by the statue of home town heroes Jacob and Wilhelm
Grimm, born in Hanau (see Grimm Brothers Fairy Tale Festival). The building
at the old market square, 
just
around the corner from the old St Mary's Church where the great-grandfather
was pastor was used for other purposes - from 1821 to 1850 it served
as the Regional Electorate Court House, then it became a boys school,
and
in
1902 a town
historical museum (now housed in the Phillipsruhe Castle).
In 1942, a jeweler from Berlin, Ferdinand Richard Wilm, founder of the
Association for Goldsmiths Art had the idea of celebrating the ten year
anniversary of his society and held an exhibition of the gold and silversmiths
art at the old market square building. It has been the Goldsmiths House
since.
The exterior of the
building was first changed in 1768, with the original oriel bay windows
removed and the half-wood exposed beams plastered over.
It again changed after being heavily damaged in the bombing of industrial
Hanau during World War II in March of 1945. In 1958, the historic building
was reconstructed to its former glory as a half-timbered medieval building,
with the exposed wood and plaster trim designs painted red. In front
is the old stone market square own well. The Goldschmeide Haus has housed
the offices of the German Association of Goldsmiths Art since 1985. Inside
the building has a contemporary unadorned style, housing the exhibition
of gold and silver jewelry and historic watches on three floors. The
collection includes more than 700 pieces of jewelry and table silver
of which only a portion is on display at any one time, with changing
exhibitions of modern jewelers’ art designs.
Visiting the Hanau Goldsmith House
On the lower floor
is a goldsmith’s workshop area with a display
of historic tools of the goldsmith’s trade and where demonstrations
of gold working are given. The Goldsmiths House exhibition is open Tuesdays
to Saturdays from 11am to 5pm, with special 2 hour workshops for kids
from 2pm. Entrance to the exhibition floors is €2.50, discount admission €1.50
for seniors and students. The jewelry workshops (schmuckworkshops) are €8
per child, (in German). © Bargain
Travel Europe
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Goldsmiths
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See Also:
FRANKFURT CATHEDRAL & DOM MUSEUM
