Statues - Hither & Thither

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Berlin
(Bezirk Mitte)
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Schloßbrücke

Statuen auf der Schloßbrücke

Statues on the Palace Bridge

Various sculptors
1847-57

Berlin / Statuen auf der Schloßbrücke

Description

Stone bridge built 1821-24 after a design of the architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel. The main elements of the bridge's decorations are the eight more-than-life-size sculpture groups on high marble pedestals over the stone bridge piers. The groups show scens from Greek mythology related to warfare. These Carrara marble statues were sculpted between 1847 and 1857 by various students of Christian Daniel Rauch. The red granite pedestals rest on pedestals, they are provided with circular medallions, work of the sculptor Friedrich Wilhelm Wolff, each motif is the image of an eagle with symbolic additions. The original medallions are lost and reconstructed in 1989. The statues are (from north to south):

WEST
Unter den Linden

1	Nike lehrt den Knaben Heldensagen (Nike instructs the boy in heroic history) by Emil Wolff, 1847 (Nike holds a shiled with the names alexander caesar friederich Signed: e. wolff rome fecit Eagle with helmet.	5	Nike richtet den Verwundeten auf (Nike assists the wounded warrior) by Ludwig Wilhelm Wichmann, 1853 Not signed. Eagle with helmet.
2	Athena unterrichtet den Jungen im Waffengebrauch (Athene teaches the young man how to use a weapon) by Hermann Schievelbein, 1853 Signed: h. schievelbein fec. 1853 Eagle with palm leaf.	6	Der Jüngling wird von Athena in neuen Kampf geführt (Athena leads the young warrior into the fight) by Albert Wolff, 1853 Signed: albert wolff. 1853 Eagle with palm leaf.
3	Athena bewaffnet den Krieger (Athena arms the warrior) by Karl Heinrich Möller, 1851 Signed: c. moeller. 1851 Eagle with thunderbolt.	7	Der junge Held wird von Athena beschützt (Athena protects the young hero) by Gustav Blaeser, 1854 Signed: Gust: Blaeser. fec: 1854. Eagle with thunderbolt.
4	Nike krönt den Sieger (Nike crowns the hero) by Friedrich Drake, 1853 Signed: f. drake fec. Eagle with snake.	8	Nike (oder Iris) trägt den gefallenen Helden zum Olymp empor (Nike (or Iris) takes the fallen hero to Olympus) by August Wredow, 1857 Unsigned. Eagle with snake.

Schloßplatz
EAST

1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8

Annotation

During World War II the statues were stored on a safe place in Spandau (in the western part of Berlin), and returned to the then German Democratic Republic in 1981. After restoriation, they were replaced in 1983/84. The eagle medaillons were reconstructed in 1989.

Bridges with four or more statues

Mostly in Central Europe there are a number of bridges with several statues of saints. The presence of the saint statues on bridges can be explained by saying that "even strangers passing by could worship God in public through His saints, to the disgrace of heretics" (quote of the investors of the bridge at Náměšť nad Oslavou, source). A statue of the "bridge saint" Saint John of Nepomuk, is usually - but not always - included. In a few cases, bridges show secular statues (f.i., Hamburg). The overall prototype was Ponte d'Angeli, Rome.
Bridges with four or more statues are:

30 statues

Praha, Karlův most (Charles Bridge), (oldest 1683, most 18th century)
20 statues
Náměšť nad Oslavou
12 statues
Würzburg, Alte Mainbrücke, 1720-30
8 statues
Berlin, Schloßbrücke, 1847-57
Žďár nad Sázavou
6 statues
Kłodzko, Most gotycki Św. Jana, 1655-1714
Brtnice, Most pod zámkem, 1711-18
Brtnice, Most na náměstí, early 18th century
Lnáře
4 statues
Hamburg, Kornhausbrücke (statues of discoverers, two destroyed).
Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou, 1714-16
Písek

For bridges with two statues, see the catchword list "Bridge with statues".

Sculptors

Gustav Blaeser (also Bläser) (Düsseldorf 1813 - Cannstatt 1874), German sculptor (Wikipedia).
Friedrich Drake (Bad Pyrmont 1805-Berlin 1882), German sculptor (Wikipedia).
Karl Heinrich Möller (Berlin 1802 - Berlin 1882), German sculptor (Wikipedia).
Hermann Schievelbein (Berlin 1817 - Berlin 1867), German sculptor (Wikipedia).
Ludwig Wilhelm Wichmann (Potsdam 1788 - Berlin 1859), German sculptor (Wikipedia).
Albert Wolff (Neustrelitz 1814 - Berlin 1892), German sculptor (Wikipedia).
Emil Wolff (Berlin 1802 - Roma 1879), German sculptor (Wikipedia).
August Wredow (Brandenburg an der Havel 1804 - Berlin 1891), German sculptor (Wikipedia).

Sources & Information

Wikipedia, Schloßbrücke (Berlin-Mitte).
Bildhauerei in Berlin, Skulpturen in Mitte.
Helmut Caspar, Moralinsaure Kritik an Marmorhelden auf der Schloßbrücke, In: Berlinische Monatsschrift (1997), pp. 109-111.

Tags

Bläser, Gustav

Bridge with statues

Drake, Friedrich

Möller, Karl Heinrich

Schievelbein, Hermann

Wichmann, Ludwig Wilhelm

Locatie (N 52°31'3" - E 13°23'54") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

Item Code: debe017; Photograph: 9 August 2013 / updated: 14 October 2014
Of each statue we made photos from various angles and also detail photos of the various texts.
If you want to use photos, please contact us via the contact form (in Dutch, English or German).
© Website and photos: René & Peter van der Krogt

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