Niederwalddenkmal

Geschichte

The Niederwalddenkmal is a monument located in the Niederwald landscape park, near Rüdesheim am Rhein in Hesse, Germany. It overlooks the valley of the Rhine and was built in the 1870/80s to commemorate the Unification of Germany.HistoryThe monument was constructed to commemorate the foundation of the German Empire after the end of the Franco-Prussian War. The first stone was laid on 16 September 1871, by Kaiser Wilhelm I (William I). The sculptor was Johannes Schilling, and the architect was Karl Weisbach. The total cost of the work is estimated at one million gold marks. The monument was inaugurated on 28 September 1883. The 38m tall monument represents the union of all Germans.DescriptionStructureThe central figure is the 10.5m tall Germania figure. In the sculptured impression, Germania holds the recovered crown of the emperor in the right hand and in the left the Imperial Sword.Beneath Germania is a large relief that shows emperor William I riding a horse with nobility, the army commanders and soldiers. The relief has the Wacht am Rhein (Watch on the Rhine) lyrics engraved.