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Ludwig van Beethoven can be seen and experienced in numerous places in Bonn. We give you an overview of the most famous Beethoven monuments.
Beethoven monument on Münsterplatz
After around six months of restoration, the Beethoven monument returned to Münsterplatz in July 2022.
During its six-month beauty treatment, the main aim was not to restore the "old glory" of the statue and the pedestal. Rather, the aim was to remove the damaging layers of dirt while preserving the historical patina.
The fact that Beethoven now appears completely renewed is thanks to the application of a layer of microcrystalline wax. In the coming years, this will ensure that rain and snow roll off better and that dirt and water can no longer settle so quickly in the deeper areas. It will also be examined every two years as part of a monitoring process in order to prevent the bronze from being damaged again in future through consistent monitoring and care.
The history of the monument
The Beethoven monument on Münsterplatz was unveiled on August 12, 1845 to commemorate Beethoven's 75th birthday and on the occasion of the first Beethoven Festival. The celebrations were preceded by years of commitment from the citizens of Bonn - especially Robert Schumann and Franz Liszt.
The sculptor and professor at the Dresden Academy of Art, Ernst Julius Hähnel, who was already successful in Dresden and Munich at the time, took on the task of designing a monument to Ludwig van Beethoven. His concept was considered to be both modern and sublime. The statue was executed by the sculptor and ore caster Jacob Daniel Burgschmiet.
On August 12, 1845, the monument was unveiled in the presence of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, King Friedrich Wilhelm IV, Archduke Friedrich of Austria and Alexander von Humboldt. As the royals were given a place of honor on a balcony behind the statue (today's post office), it stood with its back to them. Alexander von Humboldt then said: "Yes, he's always been a rough guy in his life too." The amusement played down the faux pas somewhat.
The statue had already been restored once between 1963 and 1965. For this purpose, the statue and base were loaded with the help of a truck-mounted crane and stood in the Karl König art forge in Bonn for around 20 months before the monument was ceremoniously reinstalled on April 28, 1965. A few weeks later, in May 1965, the newly restored monument was also a stopover for Queen Elizabeth II of England during her visit to Germany.
On November 6, 1987, the Beethoven sculpture was entered in the City of Bonn's list of monuments.
Information on accessibility
Access
The path consists of cobblestones, partly small/fine cobblestones
Paths are suitable for wheelchairs, rollators and baby carriages
There are no path boundaries (pedestrian zone) that visually impaired or blind people can use for orientation
There are several places to sit along the path
Barrier-free toilets
You will find the nearest wheelchair-accessible toilets
Barrier-free bus and train connections are available. For detailed information, please visit www.stadtwerke-bonn.de (opens in a new tab) or call the hotline on 0180 3504030
The concrete sculpture Beethon by Professor Klaus Kammerichs stands in front of the Beethovenhalle.
The Düsseldorf artist Professor Klaus Kammerichs created the concrete sculpture Beethon as a contribution to the exhibition "Mythos Beethoven" on the occasion of the Beethovenfest 1986.
Originally, the artwork was to be on loan in front of the Beethovenhalle until Bonn's 2000th anniversary celebrations. However, the Bonn City Council decided to purchase Beethon in 1990.
The sculpture was created by Professor Kammerichs in five months. The polystyrene mold developed was made in Düsseldorf, assembled in Bonn and filled with reinforced concrete.
Sculptor Markus Lüpertz created the sculpture Homage to Beethoven
The bronze sculpture "Homage to Beethoven", created especially for Bonn by Markus Lüpertz, was presented to the City of Bonn on March 30, 2014 by the Stiftung für Kunst und Kultur e. V. (opens in a new tab) as a permanent loan. This special two-headed Beethoven portrait is 2.70 meters high.
Markus Lüpertz, painter, graphic artist and sculptor, is one of the best-known contemporary German artists. Professor Lüpertz was rector of the Düsseldorf Art Academy for more than 20 years from 1988.
He has also been creating sculptures for more than 30 years, including the "Mercurius", which is located at the Post Tower in Bonn.
The seated Beethoven can be found in the Rheinaue.
The Beethoven monument in Bonn's Rheinaue was designed by sculptor Peter Christian Breuer (born 1856, died 1930) and executed in granite by Friedrich Diederich.
Initially, the "seated Beethoven" was intended as a monument for Berlin. In 1938, the sculpture was erected at the Alter Zoll in Bonn, from where it was removed in 1949. The monument was then presented to the public again in 1977, at its current location in the Rheinaue leisure park.
The Beethoven bust in Redoutenpark in Bad Godesberg.
In July 1792, the 21-year-old Beethoven was allowed to perform in front of Joseph Haydn in Godesberg's parlor, La Redoute, and present the composition of an "Imperial Cantata". A monument was dedicated to Beethoven's encounter with Haydn on October 22, 1960.
The Hungarian artist and sculptor Professor Franz Rotter from Cuxhaven (* 1910, † 1989) created a bronze head on a natural stone column. The sculpture was lost, recast in 1968 and now stands at the foot of the Redoutenpark directly behind La Redoute in Bonn-Bad Godesberg.
