Bohlenplatz
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The Bohlenplatz is a town square in the city of Erlangen, in the state of Bavaria, Germany. It is known for its green area and is the site of a famous and traditional Erlanger flea market. Additionally, Bohlenplatz is well-known as the location of a former German church which is now used under the name Kreuz+Quer - Haus der Kirche Erlangen as an event site for the Evangelical Lutheran deanery of Erlanger.
History
Originally, Bohlenplatz was known as the location of the German Reformed Church. In the 19th century, the name Polenplatz was established for this square as well as the adjacent eastern block. In 1872 the name was changed to its current name, Bohlenplatz, referencing the social environment of the residents and their confused reinterpretation of a building yard used by carpenters to be ¨Polish.¨ From 1933 to 1945, the square was named after the anti-Semitic journalist and publisher Dietrich Eckart. The original single-story houses of the stocking makers and craftsmen of the city were enlarged or rebuilt over the course of time. The site was also initially used for scree and as a sand pit. In 1780, however, attempts were made to counteract this by planting trees repeatedly. For example, mulberry trees were planted for sericulture in 1826. It was not until 1887 that an overall design was carried out which approximately corresponded to the character of the present square. The last major redesign took place in 1982.[1]
During the course of history, several planned projects were never realized on Bohlenplatz, such as the Erlangen station which was planned to be built in 1836.
In 1910 it was proposed to build a lido at Bohlenplatz. It was also planned to overbuild the eastern half of the square, which only happened with the establishment of the new Building Office of the University in 1970. During the time of National Socialism, an enormous war memorial was planned but it never came to a realization.
A 222 meter deep artesian well on the south-east corner of the Bohlenplatz, which was built between 1864 and 1869, did not supply the desired quantities of water and was therefore barred in 1945. In 1919, the city built one of the first two children's playgrounds in Erlangen on the Bohlenplatz. There is still a children's playground on the Bohlenplatz today.
Description
The Bohlenplatz is an approximately 200×80 meter square in the historical old town of Erlangen, arranged in a west-east direction. Although it was not built until later, the square fits perfectly into the pattern of Erlangen's New Town as a Baroque planned city. The square is bordered to the south by the Friedrichstraße-Luitpoldstraße street, to the north by the Obere Karlstraße-Marquardsenstraße street and the east by the Östliche Stadtmauerstraßee-Waldstraße street. Raumerstraße also starts from the southern extent. A footpath and cycle path in the "Flucht Krankenhausstraße-Holzgartenstraße" divide the square into two unequal parts. The former German Reformed Church occupies the western third. The eastern part is leafy and park-like. There is also a children's playground. The eastern end of the square is marked by the new building of the University Authorities which was built in 1970.[1]
Adjacent buildings
Former German reformed church
Literature
- Christoph Friedrich, Bertold Freiherr von Haller, Andreas Jakob (Hrsg.): Erlanger Stadtlexikon. W. Tümmels Verlag, Nürnberg 2002, ISBN 3-921590-89-2 (Gesamtausgabe online).
External links
