Rolandseck railway station
Encyclopedia
Rolandseck station in Rolandseck
near Remagen
, Germany, built in 1856, is considered an important part of the cultural heritage of the Rhineland
and a significant early Germany railway building. It is the northernmost railway station on the West Rhine railway in Rhineland-Palatinate
.
The Bonn-Cologne Railway Company (Cöln-Bonner Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft) extended its line (later the West Rhine railway) from Cologne
to Bonn
on 15 February 1844. In 1846, the company had requested permission from the Prussia
n Government to extend the line to Rolandseck, but had been refused for military reasons. Finally in 1853, the Prussian Cabinet gave it provisional permission to extend the line as far as Rolandseck. The new terminus should be as close as possible to the Rhine, in order to cater for comfortable transfers to steam ships. The supervising engineer for the building of the railway line also produced the sketches for the Rolandseck station, which was set out in such a way that the terminus of the line could hold company meetings, because at this time the Rolandseck area, together with Rolandswerther, was the epitome of Rhineland romanticism
. Construction started in 1856 and was finished in 1858. It became the meeting place for society. Queen Victoria
of England, Kaiser
William
, Otto von Bismarck
, Heinrich Heine
, Ludwig Uhland
, Karl Simrock, Brothers Grimm
and Friedrich Nietzsche
went there, as well as the musicians Johannes Brahms
, Clara Schumann
and Franz Liszt
. Bernhard Shaw wrote above the station and Guillaume Apollinaire
wrote some of his early poems here. There were many celebrations and concerts in the old station.
's Mainz
region decided that "oversized" areas would be demolished and a small reception building would be established. Times changed, however, and in 1964 and Johannes Wasmuth developed a plan for the station as an art gallery and studio. Within a short time the station became a center of cultural life. Hans Arp, Oskar Kokoschka
, Bruno Goller, Günther Uecker
, Gotthard Graubner
, Stefan Askenase
, Yehudi Menuhin
, Hans Richter
, Martha Argerich
, Martin Walser
and Marcel Marceau
represent some of the people who participated.
Only the death of Johannes Wasmuth ended the cultural life of the station.
. The station building could not be returned to its original condition due to structural changes made at the beginning of the 20th century. The renovation work aimed at restoring the structural condition of the station in 1906 with a veranda and a pale green painted facade. The whitewashed surfaces of the dining room were restored, so that stucco
work can be seen once again. The entrance is now in the basement, which along with the ground floor, serve as the exhibition areas. Works by Hans Arp are displayed in the basement and temporary exhibitions are displayed on the ground floor. The dining room and bistro are on the second floor.
A characteristic of the Arp Museums is the exhibition of works by contemporary artists in its functional areas. In keeping with a tradition created by Johannes Wasmuth, works by the British painter Stephen McKenna
that include colourful ironical quotations from the history of art were retained in the station's wash rooms and bistro. In the course of the modifications further functional areas of the museum were equipped by various artists: the wash room by Maria Nordman, the bistro by Anton Henning, the library by the Swiss Thomas Huber, and the museum's helicopter landing pad was developed in the style of the Ingold airline project of Swiss artist, Res Ingold (that is the logos, corporate identity, advertising and presentation material of a fictitious airline).
, the "Skulpturenufer Remagen" sculpture garden along the Rhine bank between Rolandswerth and south of Remagen, on either side of the station.
Rolandseck
Rolandseck is a borough of Remagen in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.The place consists almost entirely of villas and is a favorite summer resort. Crowning the vine-clad hills behind it lie the ruins of the castle, a picturesque ivy-covered arch, whence a fine view is obtained of the Siebengebirge...
near Remagen
Remagen
Remagen is a town in Germany in Rhineland-Palatinate, in the district of Ahrweiler. It is about a one hour drive from Cologne , just south of Bonn, the former West German capital. It is situated on the River Rhine. There is a ferry across the Rhine from Remagen every 10–15 minutes in the summer...
, Germany, built in 1856, is considered an important part of the cultural heritage of the Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
and a significant early Germany railway building. It is the northernmost railway station on the West Rhine railway in Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate is one of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has an area of and about four million inhabitants. The capital is Mainz. English speakers also commonly refer to the state by its German name, Rheinland-Pfalz ....
.
History
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
to Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
on 15 February 1844. In 1846, the company had requested permission from the Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n Government to extend the line to Rolandseck, but had been refused for military reasons. Finally in 1853, the Prussian Cabinet gave it provisional permission to extend the line as far as Rolandseck. The new terminus should be as close as possible to the Rhine, in order to cater for comfortable transfers to steam ships. The supervising engineer for the building of the railway line also produced the sketches for the Rolandseck station, which was set out in such a way that the terminus of the line could hold company meetings, because at this time the Rolandseck area, together with Rolandswerther, was the epitome of Rhineland romanticism
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
. Construction started in 1856 and was finished in 1858. It became the meeting place for society. Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
of England, Kaiser
Kaiser
Kaiser is the German title meaning "Emperor", with Kaiserin being the female equivalent, "Empress". Like the Russian Czar it is directly derived from the Latin Emperors' title of Caesar, which in turn is derived from the personal name of a branch of the gens Julia, to which Gaius Julius Caesar,...
William
William II, German Emperor
Wilhelm II was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia, ruling the German Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia from 15 June 1888 to 9 November 1918. He was a grandson of the British Queen Victoria and related to many monarchs and princes of Europe...
, Otto von Bismarck
Otto von Bismarck
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
, Heinrich Heine
Heinrich Heine
Christian Johann Heinrich Heine was one of the most significant German poets of the 19th century. He was also a journalist, essayist, and literary critic. He is best known outside Germany for his early lyric poetry, which was set to music in the form of Lieder by composers such as Robert Schumann...
, Ludwig Uhland
Ludwig Uhland
Johann Ludwig Uhland , was a German poet, philologist and literary historian.-Biography:He was born in Tübingen, then Duchy of Württemberg, and studied jurisprudence at the university there, but also took an interest in medieval literature, especially old German and French poetry...
, Karl Simrock, Brothers Grimm
Brothers Grimm
The Brothers Grimm , Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm , were German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, and authors who collected folklore and published several collections of it as Grimm's Fairy Tales, which became very popular...
and Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a 19th-century German philosopher, poet, composer and classical philologist...
went there, as well as the musicians Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene...
, Clara Schumann
Clara Schumann
Clara Schumann was a German musician and composer, considered one of the most distinguished pianists of the Romantic era...
and Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
. Bernhard Shaw wrote above the station and Guillaume Apollinaire
Guillaume Apollinaire
Wilhelm Albert Włodzimierz Apolinary Kostrowicki, known as Guillaume Apollinaire was a French poet, playwright, short story writer, novelist, and art critic born in Italy to a Polish mother....
wrote some of his early poems here. There were many celebrations and concerts in the old station.
Artists studios
After World War II, the station was not any longer operated. In 1958 the president of the Deutsche BundesbahnDeutsche Bundesbahn
The Deutsche Bundesbahn or DB was formed as the state railway of the newly established Federal Republic of Germany on September 7, 1949 as a successor of the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft '...
's Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
region decided that "oversized" areas would be demolished and a small reception building would be established. Times changed, however, and in 1964 and Johannes Wasmuth developed a plan for the station as an art gallery and studio. Within a short time the station became a center of cultural life. Hans Arp, Oskar Kokoschka
Oskar Kokoschka
Oskar Kokoschka was an Austrian artist, poet and playwright best known for his intense expressionistic portraits and landscapes.-Biography:...
, Bruno Goller, Günther Uecker
Günther Uecker
Günther Uecker, also known as Guenther Uecker, is a German sculptor, op artist and installation artist.- Biography :...
, Gotthard Graubner
Gotthard Graubner
Gotthard Graubner is a German painter. He was born in Erlbach, in Saxony, studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin, the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts and the Academy of Arts in Düsseldorf, before becoming a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Hamburg, in 1969...
, Stefan Askenase
Stefan Askenase
Stefan Askenase was a Polish-born Belgian classical pianist and pedagogue.-Biography:Askenase was born in Lemberg. He studied with Theodor Pollak, a professor and director of the Ludwik Marek School of Music in Lemberg. Then with Emil von Sauer, a pupil of Liszt, at the Vienna Academy of Music...
, Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin, OM, KBE was a Russian Jewish American violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in the United Kingdom. He was born to Russian Jewish parents in the United States, but became a citizen of Switzerland in 1970, and of the United Kingdom in 1985...
, Hans Richter
Hans Richter (conductor)
Hans Richter was an Austrian orchestral and operatic conductor.-Biography:Richter was born in Raab , Kingdom of Hungary, Austro-Hungarian Empire. His mother was opera-singer Jozsefa Csazenszky. He studied at the Vienna Conservatory...
, Martha Argerich
Martha Argerich
Martha Argerich is an Argentine pianist.-Early life:Argerich was born in Buenos Aires and started playing the piano at age three...
, Martin Walser
Martin Walser
At first the speech did not cause a great stir. Indeed, the audience present in Church of St. Paul received the speech with applause, though Walser's critic Ignatz Bubis did not applaud, as confirmed by television footage of the event...
and Marcel Marceau
Marcel Marceau
Marcel Marceau was an internationally acclaimed French actor and mime most famous for his persona as Bip the Clown.-Early years:...
represent some of the people who participated.
Only the death of Johannes Wasmuth ended the cultural life of the station.
Arp Museum – Rolandseck railway station
After extensive reorganization and rebuilding the station reopened on 22 October 2004 and will include September 2007 the entrance to the new Arp Museum, which is being built above the station in accordance with the plans of the architect Richard MeierRichard Meier
Richard Meier is an American architect, whose rationalist buildings make prominent use of the color white.- Biography :Meier is Jewish and was born in Newark, New Jersey...
. The station building could not be returned to its original condition due to structural changes made at the beginning of the 20th century. The renovation work aimed at restoring the structural condition of the station in 1906 with a veranda and a pale green painted facade. The whitewashed surfaces of the dining room were restored, so that stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
work can be seen once again. The entrance is now in the basement, which along with the ground floor, serve as the exhibition areas. Works by Hans Arp are displayed in the basement and temporary exhibitions are displayed on the ground floor. The dining room and bistro are on the second floor.
A characteristic of the Arp Museums is the exhibition of works by contemporary artists in its functional areas. In keeping with a tradition created by Johannes Wasmuth, works by the British painter Stephen McKenna
Stephen McKenna
Stephen McKenna is a Scottish footballer who is currently signed for Queen of the South in the Scottish First Division. He plays primarily as a defensive central midfielder.-Airdrie:...
that include colourful ironical quotations from the history of art were retained in the station's wash rooms and bistro. In the course of the modifications further functional areas of the museum were equipped by various artists: the wash room by Maria Nordman, the bistro by Anton Henning, the library by the Swiss Thomas Huber, and the museum's helicopter landing pad was developed in the style of the Ingold airline project of Swiss artist, Res Ingold (that is the logos, corporate identity, advertising and presentation material of a fictitious airline).
Sculpture banks
The Arp Museum has developed since 2000, in co-operation with the city of RemagenRemagen
Remagen is a town in Germany in Rhineland-Palatinate, in the district of Ahrweiler. It is about a one hour drive from Cologne , just south of Bonn, the former West German capital. It is situated on the River Rhine. There is a ferry across the Rhine from Remagen every 10–15 minutes in the summer...
, the "Skulpturenufer Remagen" sculpture garden along the Rhine bank between Rolandswerth and south of Remagen, on either side of the station.