The Bad Blankenburg Town Hall dates from the Middle Ages. The sandstone walls in the ground floor were built in the 13th and 15th centuries, and until 1525, the building was used as the city’s mint. In 1744, a large fire destroyed much of the city, including the Town Hall. From 1744-1750, the Town Hall was completely rebuilt.
In 1995, a full restoration of the building began, which was completed in 1998. The main task was to expose the historic structure. During the renovation work, a well was discovered in the entrance area. In order for this to be seen and at the same time protected, a glass floor was installed – a unique architectural feature.
The western wall is one of the oldest parts of the Town Hall. In the foyer on the ground floor, the West Wall was exposed, grouted and left unplastered in order to show the connection with the well depicted under the glass floor. In addition, a window has also been retained in its original condition to allow the various construction phases to be documented.
The exterior wall of the historic Town Hall features the statue “Hungermännchen” and a plaque depicting a coat of arms, both of which date from the time before the fire. A replica of a yardstick and a memorial stone depicting the foundation of Fröbel’s kindergarten in 1840 also provide historic reminders.
In today’s Fröbel Room, found on the first floor of the Town Hall, the first German Kindergarten was opened on 28.06.1840 by the German educationalist Friedrich Fröbel. The room, adorned with antique ornaments, is today used for cultural events and concerts.
During the Town Hall renovations, the City Museum was created on the second floor, and citizens of merit are honoured here. Among other treasures, iron artworks by Prof. Hilmar Lauterbach are on display. These wrought iron and repoussé works include candleholders, chests and similar handcrafted objects, and were created for Prof. Lauterbach’s father city of Bad Blankenburg.
In a second room, an exhibition on the life and work of Prof. Dr. Otto Schmiedeknecht can be viewed. The former teacher was noted for his work with the insect order hymenoptera, especially ichneumon wasps.
For nature friends and lovers of rare butterflies, a visit to the collection of Dr. Helmut Steuer is an absolute must. The doctor and entomologist specialised in the scientific study of butterflies. Here in Bad Blankenburg, Dr Steuer discovered and catalogued more than 2,200 specimens from the 3,500 known species in central Europe. A part of his colourful butterfly collection was given to his home city upon his death. Since June 2007, the Dr.-Steuer-Cabinet has been located on the ground floor of the Town Hall.
Contact:
Stadtverwaltung Bad Blankenburg
Markt 1
07422 Bad Blankenburg
Tel. 036741-37 0
Fax: 036741-37 55
E-Mail: stadt@bad-blankenburg.de
www.bad-blankenburg.de
Bad Blankenburg
