Statues - Hither & Thither

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Wesel
(Stadt Wesel)
Kr. Wesel
Nordrhein-Westfalen

Großer Markt 7
(Rathaus)

Fassadenfiguren des Rathauses

Sculptures at the Town Hall

2011-2017 (1858)

Description

In 1476 the facade of the town hall was built in the rare late Gothic Flemish style, with the stone figures of seven saints: the Virgin Mary, the Three Kings, plus the saints Willibrord, Christopher and Anthoniy. The facade was renovated in 1858. Six of the medieval saints were replaced by secular rulers (from left to right): The Great Elector Friedrich Wilhelm von Brandenburg, Duke Adolf I of Cleves, Emperor Charlemagne, St. Willibrord (remained), King Rudolf I of Habsburg, Count Dietrich VIII of Cleves, Elector Johann Sigismund of Brandenburg.
In February 1945 the town hall was almost completely destroyed in three Allied bombing raids.
The historically unique facade was reconstructed in Udelfang sandstone under the leadership of the Wesel Historical Town Hall Foundation. The foundation stone was laid on 28 October 2007, construction of the facade began in 2010 and the handover was on 18 September 2011. The last statues were finished in 2017.

Wesel - Fassadenfiguren des Rathauses
Friedrich Wilhelm von Brandenburg
(Cölln an der Spree 1620 - Potsdam 1688)
Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia from 1640 until his death (Wikipedia).
Herzog Adolf I. von Kleve / Duke Adolph I, Duke of Cleves (1373 - Oostburg, Zeeland, 1448) Count of Cleves, during his reign Cleves was raised to a Duchy in 1417 (Wikipedia). Wesel - Fassadenfiguren des Rathauses
Karl der Große / Emperor Charlemagne
(unknown place 742 - Aachen 814), King of the Franks (since 768) and Emperor (since 800) (Wikipedia).
St. Willibrord
(c. 658-739), missionary saint, known as the "Apostle to the Frisians" in the modern Netherlands. He became the first Bishop of Utrecht and died at Echternach, Luxembourg (Wikipedia).

Wesel - Fassadenfiguren des Rathauses
Rudolf I. von Habsburg / Rudolf I of Habsburg
(1218 - Speyer 1219) The first King of Germany from the House of Habsburg (Wikipedia).

Graf Dietrich III. von Kleve / Count Dietrich VIII of Kleve
(1160/70-before 1202) Count of Cleves from 1172 through 1188 (Wikipedia). Wesel - Fassadenfiguren des Rathauses
Kurfürst Johann Sigismund von Brandenburg / Elector Johann Sigismund of Brandenburg (Halle 1572 - Berlin 1619) Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg; in 1609 heir to the Duchy of Cleves (Wikipedia).

Sources & Information

Stadt Wesel, Die erste spätgotisch-flämische Rekonstruktion in Deutschland.

Locatie (N 51°39'24" - E 6°36'40") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

Item Code: denw1042; Photograph: 2 August 2022
Of each statue we made photos from various angles and also detail photos of the various texts.
If you want to use photos, please contact us via the contact form (in Dutch, English or German).
© Website and photos: René & Peter van der Krogt