10 Beethon consisted of the main house, two side wings and a utility com- plex to the south. During Beethoven’s lifetime the house has In front of the Beethoven Hall passed by marriage into the possession of the Count of Lippe. Beethoven The magnificent hall in the north wing lent itself perfectly to In 1986, the Düsseldorf-based sculptor Klaus Kammerichs cre- musical events. ated ”Beethon”, a visually stunning concrete bust based on the best-known portrait of Beethoven, painted in 1819 by Karl Walk Josef Stieler (the name of the bust is a play on the German word ”Beethon”, which means concrete). The sculpture has Walking around Bonn in since become synonymous not only with the Beethoven Hall but also with the city of Bonn itself. Beethoven‘s Footsteps Touristische Informationen: Bonn Information, Windeckstraße 1, 53103 Bonn 11 The Old Cemetery Tel.: 0228/77 50 00, Fax: 0228/77 50 77 Bornheimer Strasse E-mail: [email protected] The Old Cemetery was originally established outside the city Herausgeber: walls and dates back to the time of Prince Elector Joseph Cle- Die Oberbürgermeisterin der Bundesstadt Bonn, mens. In 1715 he designated it for burials ‘in the presence of Bonn Information/Presseamt. residents, passers by and soldiers’. In 1787 an electoral decree Mit freundlicher Unterstützung der Bürger für Beethoven, declared the cemetery to be the only burial ground in Bonn. der Glasfachschule Rheinbach, der City Parkraum GmbH und der Stadtwerke Bonn (Ausbildungswerkstatt). One of the Beethoven Walk‘s During their lifetimes those who rest here under the high trees Stand: 03.2006 information boards. represented the bourgeois world of one of the most important German university towns of the 19th century. The distinguished names of the deceased and many of the monuments which were executed by famous artists serve to make the Old Cemetery 9 famous. 10 The grave of Maria Magdalena Beethoven, Beethoven’s mother, lay forgotten for many years. In 1826 the grave which was one of the oldest existing graves in the cemetery was sold, and it was only in 1932 that the grave was identified as the resting place of Beethoven’s mother. The Beethoven House Society donated a simple headstone bearing a quotation from one of Beethoven’s letters. The headstone was renewed in 1970. 12 La Redoute Bad Godesberg, Kurfürstenallee 1 La Redoute, a dance and concert hall for the Elector and his court, was the last building of the electoral age. Built in the neo-classical style, the mansion was commissioned by Max 11 2 Franz to promote his spa town Bad Godesberg. This is where 3 the young Beethoven played before Haydn. 6 13 Lippesches Palace 8 Oberkassel, Königswinterer Strasse 705 5 4 The aristocracy built its refuge far outside of Bonn’s city walls. The house was built in the middle of the 18th century by 7 baroque master builder Johann Conrad Schlaun as a summer residence for the noble family of Meinerzhagen from Cologne. Originally located in a large landscaped park the ensemble In the 16th century the City of Bonn, originally a Roman le- 2 Parish Church of St. Remigius and was to be his last significant work. The Electoral Prince building, which incorporates parts of the original 11th century was able to enter the three sided gallery by a door which led church, owes its characteristic east apse, inaugurated in 1153, gionary fortress called “Castra Bonnensia”, became the capi- Brüdergasse tal of the Archbishopric and Electorate of Cologne. The elec- directly from his private chambers. A second gallery on the to Provost Gerhard von Are. He also constructed the cloister east side was for the organ and musicians. Young Beethoven in the 12th century. A large organ originally stood on the west tors Joseph Clemens and Clemens August transformed the city St. Remigius, the only remaining gothic church in Bonn, was received music lessons at this instrument from court organ- gallery and formed part of the magnificent baroque interior. by building palaces and the Rococo-style town hall. The Bonn originally the convent church of the Miniorite monks. The ist and composer Christian Gottlob Neefe. The chapel was The young court organist Beethoven played the organ here on skyline was also dominated by numerous churches and several church was built between 1276 and the end of the 14th century Beethoven’s first place of work after he received his official special occasions. palaces owned by the aristocracy. Life in the city revolved and clearly shows the austere architectural lines so typical for salaried appointment as organist at the court of the Electoral After leaving the private school of schoolmaster Ropertz in the around the electoral court. It was in this Bonn, a city with a mendicant orders. Ludwig van Beethoven played the organ for Prince aged only 14. Rathausgasse Beethoven attended the Latin school for boys in population of around 10.000, where Ludwig van Beethoven early mass here when he was only 10 years old. Ludwig Koenig, the chapter room of the Cassius Collegiate situated in the east was born on December 16 or 17, 1770 in the garden annexe an organ builder from Cologne built the original outstand- at Bonngasse 20. This walking tour around Beethoven’s na- wing of the cloister. ing, richly carved organ in 1748. It was almost completely 6 Zehrgarten tive city, which now has a population of 314.000, takes you destroyed in WW2, only the console survived intact. The font back to the time of Beethoven’s youth in the electoral city of Markt 11/Am Alten Rathaus over which Ludwig van Beethoven was baptised on 17th De- Breunings House Bonn. (The stops 12 (La Redoute) and 13 (Lippesches Palais) cember 1770 can be seen in the side aisle on the left of the 8 The position of the Town Hall has been skilfully chosen to are located outside the city centre in the districts Bad Godes- church. This font originally stood in the nearby parish church Beethoven Monument/Dreieck 8 berg and Beuel-Oberkassel respectively.) complement the long, narrow shape of the Market Place. The of St. Remigius which was demolished in 1806 after which the Minster Place Electoral Prince Clemens August himself laid the foundation patronage was transferred onto this church. stone on 24th April 1737 and the design of the building, cre- The baroque palace on Minster Place was built by Deacon Ra- ated by the electoral court architect Michael Leveilly, is orien- dermacher of the collegiate as his home and passed into the tated towards the architecture of the nearby Residence Palace. 3 Rheingasse 24 ownership of the von Fürstenberg family in 1830. It is now A dominant feature of the Town Hall is the large outside stair- used by the Post Office and offers a very picturesque backdrop case with its magnificent gold plated elements. The Beethoven family moved into the imposing gabled house for the Beethoven Monument. This was the first monument If you look diagonally across from the Town Hall you will see owned by master baker Gottfried Fischer in 1776. Ludwig van ever erected to Beethoven in his home town. The monument a photographic shop. This is where the “Im Zehrgarten” inn Beethoven’s grandfather, whose name was identical to that of was created by a sculptor from Dresden, Ernst Julius Hähnel, once stood, the hub of Bonn’s literary and music scene. The his grandson, had also lived in this house. Ludwig’s brother and it shows Beethoven looking forward and awaiting musical landlady Anna Maria Koch, widow of the court butler, also ran Nikolaus Johann was born here in 1776, later the family inspiration. The plinth is decorated with allegorical figures a bookshop and regularly received Bonn’s literati. Her beauti- moved to Wenzelgasse 25 where young Ludwig spent much of denoting four categories of music; the fantastic, the dramatic, ful daughter Barbara, known as Babette, was the centre of his youth. The family remained there, with some interruptions, the symphonic and sacramental. Original scores of the 9th Sym- atttention at the widow’s soirées and was always surrounded until 1785. phony and the Missa Solemnis were placed in the foundation by admirers, including the young Beethoven. When Beethoven stone of the monument. The unveiling of the statue took place left Bonn, his friends from the “Zehrgarten” gave him an on the 22nd August 1845, the year of Beethoven’s 75th birthday. 4 Friedrich-Wilhelms-University, album filled with messages wishing him good fortune in the The occasion was marked by a music festival lasting 3 days, the future. The most famous – and prophetic – entry, by Count former Residence of the Electoral first Beethoven Festival. Amongst the illustrious guests was Ferdinand von Waldstein, ranks Beethoven alongside Mozart King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia with his wife and Queen Princes of Cologne and Haydn: “…with the help of unremitting labour you shall Victoria and Prince Albert of Great Britain who followed the Regina-Pacis-Weg receive Mozart’s spirit from Haydn’s hands” (On display at the ceremony from the balcony of the Fürstenberg Palace. Beethoven-House). The Residence Palace was the centre of the Electoral Prince’s The house belonging to privy councillor von Breuning stood court, the venue for the very highest state representation. The where Kaufhof stands today. Tragically he was killed in the fire court theatre in the gallery wing was particularly magnificent of 1777 which destroyed the Residence Palace. His widow and 7 The Minster/Minster School four children offered the rather headstrong young Ludwig van and was used for performances of various kinds, plays, operas, concerts and balls all took place here.