Statues - Hither & Thither |
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Gotha
Lkr. Gotha Thüringen Hauptmarkt 1
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Fassadenskulpturen am Alten RathausFaçade Sculptures at the Old Town Hall |
artist unknown
1897-98 |
The old Town Hall of Gotha was built in 1567-77 according to the plans of the architects Caspar Mans, Christoph Götze and Nicolaus Rausch on the place of a wooden predecessor. It initially served as a shop. From 1640 to 1646, it was the residence of the first Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, Ernst I, until he moved to Schloß Friedenstein, which was built at his behest. After the city fire in 1665 the building was reconstructe and converted into the town hall under architect Rudolphi. In the years 1897-98 the façade and the interior was redesigned in the style of the neo-Renaissance. Most (or all) of the façade sculptures date from this reconstruction.
The sculptures are found on the both short façades at the north and south side of the building. On the tower are four statues of virtues, described here
Two reliefs Saint Gotthard, north and south façades.
North: Above the clock in the crow-stepped gable, Saint Gotthard, flanked by a sheep and a dragon.
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In the second crow step of the crow-stepped gable of the north façade are two portrait medaillons.
 rugger...? ? |
 bachoffen 1597 Thomas Bachofen von Echt (Cologne c. 1540 - Gotha 1597) mayor of Gotha, when the original 1567 shop was built (Wikipedia). |
In the lowest crow step of crow-stepped gable of the north façade are two reliefs and on the south façade in the corners between the tower and the façade are four allegorical reliefs.
 two lying figures, a nude woman and a bearded man with a fish |
 two lying figures, a man and a woman with a child |
 bearded man sitting and bound with a rope. |
 woman sitting and bound with a rope |
Four portrait medaillons of the Ernestine dukes between the windows of the first and second floor of the north façade.
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Three flag bearers on the top of the gable on the north side
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