The rich world of Saxon monuments Selected projects The rich world of Saxon monuments A selection of projects of the Special Federal and State Programme for the Preservation of Historical Monuments Saxon State Office for Conservation of Monuments Contents Greetings 5 Leipzig, UT Connewitz 38–39 (Markus Ulbig, Saxon State Minister of the Interior) (Alberto Schwarz) Löbnitz, Lutheran Church 40–41 Introduction (Alberto Schwarz) The rich world of Saxon monuments 6–9 Lunzenau, Rochsburg Castle 42–43 (Rosemarie Pohlack, State Curator of Saxony) (Steffen Delang) Meißen, Convent Ruins “Zum heiligen Kreuz” 44–45 Monument Conservation Support Programmes (Steffen Dörfel) Saxon State Special Development Programme 10 Moritzburg, Marcolini House 46–47 for Conservation of Monuments (Ralf-Peter Pinkwart) Niesky, Konrad Wachsmann House 48–49 Overview 12–13 (Udo Frenschkowski) Oschatz, Leuben district, Castle 50–51 Funded heritage sites (Steffen Delang) Aue-Zelle, Friedenskirche (Udo Lorenz) 14–15 Oybin, Castle and Cloister 52–53 Beilrode, Großtreben district, 16–17 (Ulrich Rosner) Brickworks, Ring Kiln (Steffen Delang) Pegau, Kitzen district, St Nicholas’ Church 54–55 Burgstädt, City Church 18–19 Hohenlohe (Thomas Brockow) (Steffen Delang) Pegau, Wiederau district, Baroque Castle 56–57 Chemnitz-Hilbersdorf, Machine house 20–21 (Alberto Schwarz) for the cable system of the former Plauen, Lutheran St John’s Church 58–59 marshalling yard (Michael Streetz) (Thomas Noky) Delitzsch, City Church of St Peter and St Paul 22–23 Schönfeld near Großenhain, Castle 60–61 (Alberto Schwarz) (Steffen Delang) Dohna, Gamig district, Manor Chapel 24–25 Torgau, Spalatin House 62–63 (Ralf-Peter Pinkwart) (Steffen Delang) Dresden, Chinese Pavilion 26–27 Werdau, Königswalde district, 64–65 (Steffen Dörfel) St James’ Church (Torsten Remus) Dresden, Freed Estate Eschdorf 28–29 Wildenfels, Blue Room of the Castle 66–67 (Steffen Dörfel) (Christine Kelm) Geyer, Lotterhof 30–31 Zittau, Epitaphs 68–69 (Udo Lorenz) (Christine Kelm) Görlitz, Lutheran Kreuzkirche with Parish Hall 32–33 Zittau, Noack’s House 70–71 (Udo Frenschkowski) (Ulrich Rosner) Großenhain, Zabeltitz district, 34–35 Zwickau, Lower Granary 72–73 Baroque Garden (Henrike Schwarz) (Norbert Oelsner) Leipzig, Hotel de Pologne 36–37 (Alberto Schwarz) 4 | Greetings Dear Readers, Saxony is a land of historical monuments. With more than 103,000 monuments we are the number 2 in Ger- many and, together with the State of Saxony Anhalt, we have the highest density of monuments. There is one monument for every 39 people in the state. Our monuments feature prominently in Saxon cities and landscapes, they mirror our history. Memories and emo- tions are tightly bound up with the historic old towns, castles, churches and manors. Monuments are our home and a part of our identity. They inspire the people in the state. It is our task to care for and keep this cultural heritage The success is clearly evident. Today, more than two- alive. We have achieved a lot since 1990. Working to- thirds of our historic monuments have been restored and gether with the federal government within the frame- a growing number of young people are actively involved work of common urban development programme, we in the upkeep of these monuments. The State Govern- have made more than 1 billion euros available for the ment in Saxony wants to keep this momentum going and protection of monuments and we have invested almost gives out an annual Saxon Children and Young People’s 1 billion euros in the upkeep of monuments owned by Monument prize. the state. In addition, more than 500 million euros were spent through the Saxon State Development Program- This brochure shows a multitude of examples of sites me for the Conservation of Monuments. In Saxony, that have been received fi nancial support from the Spe- since 2003, we also have the Saxon State Special De- cial Federal and State Programme for the Preservation of velopment Programme for Conservation of Monuments Historical Monuments. I cordially invite you to let your which co-fi nances programmes of the Federal Com- curiosity guide you through this brochure, to enjoy the missioner for Culture and Media and which also sup- cultural heritage so that you may, in future, be guided by ports the protection, utilisation, conservation and care your interests and your joy of life to work together with of particularly valuable or nationally important cultural us to keeping these things alive. monuments. Private sector involvement has been and continues to be particularly important. The preservation of our cultural heritage stands and falls with the people who get invol- ved. Private monuments and initiatives put new life in- to old walls. Foundations and organisations help where federal and state programmes do not come to bear or Markus Ulbig where there is a lack of private capital. Saxon State Minister of the Interior | 5 Introduction The rich world of Saxon monuments We can be proud of the large parts of the wonder- Mountains rich in forests, ore, minerals and water alter- ful world of Saxon monuments that we have regained, nate beautifully with verdant foothills, lowlands, river which however are still in desperate need of our support valleys and moorland. The conditions for the cultivation and care. Our successes are not always secure. The struc- of land and animal husbandry – the fertility of the soil, turally weak border regions are particularly threatened. the availability of water, the climate, local building ma- A lot has been achieved here, but there are just as ma- terials etc. – vary widely. ny monuments that have not been renovated. Often they have stood empty for such long periods of time that they Due to the varying natural conditions, very different can no longer be saved. Due to the demographic situa- historic forms of settlement and building structures tion there are no financially strong investors or users. were developed. The impressive abundance and quality of That does not improve the attractiveness of these places Saxon monuments is in part due to the very early dis- and the successful investments that have been made lo- covery of silver in the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge). This se their worth – the city centres are in danger of deteri- economic and innovative impulse affected the whole orating. That is why we are glad that the funding for ur- country. A vibrant architectural culture evolved, thanks ban development is continuing and that, in addition, the to the cultured, art-minded and representative dynasties Special Federal and State Programme for the Preservati- that set high standards – a fact that can clearly be seen on of Historical Monuments, run by the state and federal in many of the monuments that still exist today. government has also been continued. The Saxon Act for the Protection of Monuments defi- Saxony’s cultural landscapes are very rich and highly di- nes monuments as “things and ensembles of things, parts verse, both the physical landscapes and its monuments. and traces of things created by people including their The physical landscapes are very diverse and affluent. natural basis, where their historic, artistic or scientific Meißen, the castle hill with the Bishop’s castle, Albrechtsburg castle and cathedral 6 | Introduction significance or their influence on urban or rural lands- capes means that their conservation is in the public inte- rest.” These values must be seen, researched, documented and cared for in close co-operation with the monument owners and they must be conserved for future genera- tions. It is the responsibility of the Saxon State Office for the Conservation of Monuments to carry out this task as defined in the Saxon Act for the Protection of Monuments. Poppitz, half-timbered house from 1569 Here the Saxon Act for the Protection of Monuments picks up on the principles set down in 1825 in the first The wisdom and the skills of our ancestors are preserved paragraph of the “Royal Saxon Association for the Inves- in our monuments. So is the energy they invested, their tigation and Conservation of Relics of the Fatherland”. countenance, the familiar way in which they dealt with The feeling of nationhood that had grown in Germany in the landscape and the values that are given them by na- the years of the Napoleonic War lead to a greater appre- ture – in an artistic, artisan, material-aesthetic and ethi- ciation and increased interest in the “relics of the father- cal sense. land”. The conservation of historic buildings became par- ticularly important, as these had become symbols of the Perhaps the knowledge and preservation of these valu- cultural identity of the country and now had to be saved es could help us to gain a clearer understanding of our from the consequences of social changes and industria- current values? If we follow this thought to its logical lisation. conclusion then the decay and the endangering of the monument and cultural landscapes endangers or at least To this very day people are highly interested in their puts into question our own self-image. A loss of these past, their “roots” and their historic surroundings. The cultural values would mean a loss of a part of our digni- countless number of private initiatives, the consis- ty, followed by a loss of self. tent readership of the “Saxon Home place Pages”, the calendar “Saxon Home place”, the “News from the Saxon And this “no-longer-knowing” could go hand in hand National Culture Protection Association” or the “Va- with a loss of ones roots, with no longer being “at home” lues of the German Home place” prove this. The fact in the place where you live. On a larger scale, this would that the “Days of the Open Monument”, which is or- mean a certain kind of homelessness. Seen on a Euro- ganised by volunteers, and the many environmen- pean and global level, this would have fatal consequen- tal protection activities are all becoming more popular ces in the long term.